FOUR score
View on Wikipedia| FOUR score | |
|---|---|
| Purpose | assessment of patients with impaired level of consciousness. |
The FOUR Score is a clinical grading scale designed for use by medical professionals in the assessment of patients with impaired level of consciousness. It was developed by Dr. Eelco F.M. Wijdicks and colleagues in Neurocritical care at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. "FOUR" in this context is an acronym for "Full Outline of UnResponsiveness".
The FOUR Score is a 17-point scale (with potential scores ranging from 0 - 16). Decreasing FOUR Score is associated with worsening level of consciousness. The FOUR Score assesses four domains of neurological function: eye responses, motor responses, brainstem reflexes, and breathing pattern.
The rationale for the development of the FOUR Score constituted creation of a clinical grading scale for the assessment of patients with impaired level of consciousness that can be used in patients with or without endotracheal intubation. The main clinical grading scale in use for patients with impaired level of consciousness has historically been the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), which cannot be administered to patients with an endotracheal tube (one component of the GCS is the assessment of verbal responses, which are not possible in the presence of an endotracheal tube).[1]
The FOUR score has been validated with reference to the Glasgow Coma Scale in several clinical contexts, including assessment by physicians in the Neurocritical Care Unit,[2] assessment by intensive care nurses,[3] assessment of patients in the medical intensive care unit (ICU),[4] and assessment of patients in the Emergency Department.[5] Comparison of the inter-observer reliability of the FOUR Score and the GCS suggests that the FOUR Score may have a modest but significant advantage in this particular measure of test function.[6]
Overall, FOUR score has better biostatistical properties than Glasgow Coma Scale in terms of sensitivity, specificity, accuracy and positive predictive value.[7]
A 2024 systematic review found that the FOUR score was significantly more accurate than the Glasgow Coma Scale in predicting ICU mortality, based on higher area under the Receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) values.[8] The review also found the FOUR score to be more responsive in detecting clinically meaningful changes in patients with low levels of consciousness, as most patients with the lowest GCS score (GCS 3) had FOUR scores between 1 and 8 due to intact brainstem functions.
| Points | Eye response | Motor response | Brainstem reflexes | Respiration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Eyelids open or opened, tracking, or blinking to command | Thumbs-up, fist, or peace sign | Pupil and corneal reflexes present | Not intubated, regular breathing pattern |
| 3 | Eyelids open but not tracking | Localizing to pain | One pupil wide and fixed | Not intubated, Cheyne–Stokes breathing pattern |
| 2 | Eyelids closed but open to loud voice | Flexion response to pain | Pupil or corneal reflexes absent | Not intubated, irregular breathing |
| 1 | Eyelids closed but open to pain | Extension response to pain | Pupil and corneal reflexes absent | Breathes above ventilator rate |
| 0 | Eyelids remain closed with pain | No response to pain or generalized myoclonus status | Absent pupil, corneal, and cough reflex | Breathes at ventilator rate or apnea |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Agrawal A, Rahman MM, Khan RA, Lozada-Martinez ID, Moscote-Salazar LR, Mishra R, Rahman S (2022). "Four Score or GCS in Neurocritical Care: Modification or Adaptation". Indian Journal of Neurotrauma. 19: 52–53. doi:10.1055/s-0041-1732790.
- ^ a b Wijdicks EF, Bamlet WR, Maramattom BV, Manno EM, McClelland RL (2005). "Validation of a new coma scale: The FOUR score". Annals of Neurology. 58 (4): 585–93. doi:10.1002/ana.20611. PMID 16178024. S2CID 13950317.
- ^ Wolf CA, Wijdicks EF, Bamlet WR, McClelland RL (2007). "Further validation of the FOUR score coma scale by intensive care nurses". Mayo Clinic Proceedings. 82 (4): 435–438. doi:10.4065/82.4.435. PMID 17418071.
- ^ Iyer VN, Mandrekar JN, Danielson RD, Zubkov AY, Elmer JL, Wijdicks EF (2009). "Validity of the FOUR score coma scale in the medical intensive care unit". Mayo Clinic Proceedings. 84 (8): 694–701. doi:10.4065/84.8.694. PMC 2719522. PMID 19648386.
- ^ Stead LG, Wijdicks EF, Bhagra A, Kashyap R, Bellolio MF, Nash DL, Enduri S, Schears R, William B (2009). "Validation of a new coma scale, the FOUR score, in the emergency department". Neurocritical Care. 10 (1): 50–54. doi:10.1007/s12028-008-9145-0. PMID 18807215. S2CID 25224573.
- ^ Fischer M, Rüegg S, Czaplinski A, Strohmeier M, Lehmann A, Tschan F, Hunziker PR, Marsch SC (2010). "Inter-rater reliability of the Full Outline of UnResponsiveness score and the Glasgow Coma Scale in critically ill patients: a prospective observational study". Critical Care. 14 (2): R64. doi:10.1186/cc8963. PMC 2887186. PMID 20398274.
- ^ Khanal K, Bhandari SS, Shrestha N, Acharya SP, Marhatta MN (2016). "Comparison of outcome predictions by the Glasgow coma scale and the Full Outline of UnResponsiveness score in the neurological and neurosurgical patients in the Intensive Care Unit". Indian J Crit Care Med. 20 (8): 473–6. doi:10.4103/0972-5229.188199. PMC 4994128. PMID 27630460.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Schey JE, Schoch M, Kerr D (2024). "The Predictive Validity of the Full Outline of UnResponsiveness Score Compared to the Glasgow Coma Scale in the Intensive Care Unit: A Systematic Review". Neurocrit Care. doi:10.1007/s12028-024-02150-8. PMC 12436514. PMID 39496882.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
FOUR score
View on GrokipediaOverview
Definition and Purpose
The FOUR (Full Outline of UnResponsiveness) score is a standardized clinical tool designed to assess the level of consciousness in patients with severe neurological impairment, particularly those in coma or unable to communicate verbally.[3] It provides an objective evaluation of coma depth by examining key neurological functions, enabling healthcare providers to monitor disease progression, guide treatment decisions, and predict outcomes in critical care settings.[2] The primary purpose of the FOUR score is to offer a reliable measure of neurological status in patients with brain injuries, acute neurological conditions, or respiratory failure, where traditional verbal-based assessments may be infeasible. Unlike earlier scales, it avoids reliance on verbal responses, making it particularly valuable for intubated or sedated individuals in intensive care units (ICUs), emergency departments, and neurocritical care environments.[4] This focus ensures applicability across diverse patient populations with impaired consciousness, including non-traumatic etiologies like stroke or metabolic disorders.[5] Key features of the FOUR score include its 16-point scale, ranging from 0 (indicating the deepest level of coma) to 16 (full responsiveness), derived from four distinct domains: eye response, motor response, brainstem reflexes, and respiration. Each domain is scored from 0 to 4, allowing for a granular yet straightforward assessment that captures subtle changes in brainstem function and respiratory patterns often overlooked in other tools.[3] Developed to address limitations in existing coma scales, such as the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), the FOUR score enhances accuracy in detecting conditions like locked-in syndrome and brain herniation without requiring patient cooperation.[2]Development and History
The FOUR score was developed by Dr. Eelco F. M. Wijdicks and colleagues at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, as a novel tool for assessing consciousness in comatose patients.[6] First described in 2005 in a validation study published in the Annals of Neurology, the scale was designed to address key limitations of the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), including its inability to evaluate verbal responses in intubated or sedated patients and its omission of brainstem reflexes and respiratory patterns.[6] The developers aimed to create a simple yet comprehensive system that could be applied reliably across various clinical scenarios, particularly in neurocritical care settings involving mechanically ventilated individuals.[6] Initial testing occurred prospectively in the neurocritical care unit at Mayo Clinic, involving 120 intensive care unit patients with acute neurological conditions.[6] Assessments were performed by neuroscience nurses, neurology residents, and neurointensivists, demonstrating excellent inter-rater reliability for the total FOUR score (weighted kappa = 0.82), comparable to that of the GCS.[6] The study confirmed the scale's ability to provide detailed neurological information, such as identifying locked-in syndrome and stages of brainstem herniation, while correlating well with in-hospital mortality outcomes.[6] Following its introduction, the FOUR score underwent rapid evolution through targeted adaptations and validations in diverse contexts. In 2008, researchers at Mayo Clinic validated its use in the emergency department by non-neurology staff, highlighting its feasibility and equivalence to the GCS in predicting outcomes among patients with altered mental status. Pediatric adaptations emerged shortly thereafter, with a 2009 study confirming the scale's inter-rater reliability and predictive validity in children, allowing for age-appropriate assessments in comatose pediatric populations. By 2010, international validations had begun, including a 2009 study in Thailand that demonstrated the FOUR score's reliability and prognostic utility in emergency settings outside the United States.[7] Subsequent research, including a 2020 systematic review of 42 studies involving over 4,500 patients, has affirmed the FOUR score's reliability, validity, and advantages in brainstem and respiration evaluation across global settings.[1]Components of the FOUR Score
Eye Response
The eye response component of the FOUR score assesses a patient's oculomotor function and level of arousal by evaluating eyelid opening and visual tracking in response to stimuli, contributing 0 to 4 points to the total score.[8] This subscale provides a nuanced evaluation of cortical and brainstem integrity, particularly in patients with impaired consciousness.[9] The scoring criteria are as follows:- 4 points: Eyelids open or opened, tracking, or blinking to command (recognizes locked-in syndrome with vertical eye movements).[8]
- 3 points: Eyelids open but not tracking.[8]
- 2 points: Eyelids closed but open to loud voice.[8]
- 1 point: Eyelids closed but open to pain.[8]
- 0 points: Eyelids remain closed with pain.[8]
Motor Response
The motor response component of the FOUR score evaluates the best motor response in the upper extremities of comatose patients, using verbal commands or painful stimuli such as temporomandibular joint or supraorbital pressure, to assess the integrity of motor pathways. This component is scored on a 0-to-4 scale, where higher scores indicate more intact motor function and lower scores reflect greater impairment. The detailed scoring criteria for motor response are as follows:| Score | Criteria |
|---|---|
| 4 | Thumbs-up, fist, or peace sign (purposeful response to command) |
| 3 | Localizing to pain (patient touches the examiner's hand or site of stimulus) |
| 2 | Flexion response to pain (withdrawal or decorticate posturing) |
| 1 | Extension response to pain (decerebrate posturing) |
| 0 | No response to pain or generalized myoclonus status epilepticus |
Brainstem Reflexes
The brainstem reflexes component of the FOUR score evaluates the integrity of the brainstem through assessment of pupillary light response, corneal reflex, and cough reflex, targeting functions in the mesencephalon, pons, and medulla oblongata.[8] This component is scored on a scale from 0 to 4 points, with higher scores indicating preserved reflex activity and lower scores reflecting progressive brainstem dysfunction.[8] The specific scoring criteria are as follows:- 4 points: Both pupils and corneal reflexes are present, demonstrating intact midbrain and pontine pathways.
- 3 points: One pupil is dilated and fixed, often signaling ipsilateral oculomotor nerve compression due to transtentorial herniation.
- 2 points: Either pupillary or corneal reflexes are absent, indicating partial brainstem impairment.
- 1 point: Both pupillary and corneal reflexes are absent, suggesting more advanced dysfunction.
- 0 points: Pupillary, corneal, and cough reflexes are all absent, with the cough reflex tested via tracheal suctioning only if the other reflexes are already lost; this level points to severe medullary involvement.[8]