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Nontraumatic "spindle coma99 Clinical, EEG, and prognostic features

From the Section of Neurophysiology, Department of Neurology, Baylor College of Medicine, and the Neurophysiology Service, The Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX.

Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. Britt, Section of Neurophysiology, Baylor College of Medicine, 1200 Moursund Avenue, Houston, TX 77030.

"Spind1e coma" denotes the association of alteration of consciousness with electroencephalographic (EEG) activity resembling slow-wave sleep. Clinical, EEG, and pathologic data were reviewed for 36 patients with this syndrome, who were divided into two groups, based on the level of consciousness at the time of the initial neurologic evaluation. Fifteen patients were stuporous or semicomatose; none exhibited abnormalities of brainstem motor function, and 14 survived. Twenty-one patients were comatose; 20 had abnormalities of brain-stem motor function, and only 4 survived. The outcome of nontraumatic spindle coma is unfavorable when the patient is fully comatose and brainstem motor function is impaired.

Accepted for publication July 1, 1980.