Traumatic and non-traumatic coma in children in the referral hospital, Al-Hasa, Saudi Arabia

We determined the incidence, etiology and outcome of paediatric coma patients in King Fahad Hospital, which is the only referral centre for Al-Hasa region, Saudi Arabia. From April 1999 to March 2002, 91 children with coma (age range 28 days to 12 years) were admitted. The Glasgow Coma Scale for children was used for assessment. Neurological outcomes were categorized as intact, impairment or death. Incidence of coma was 4.77 per 100 000 population per year. Trauma (head trauma or polytrauma) was the commonest cause of coma (52.8%), followed by infection (25.3%). Mortality was 47.2% (35.4% among traumatic cases and 60.5% among non-traumatic cases). There was impaired outcome in 19.8% of patients (22.9% with traumatic coma and 16.3% with non-traumatic coma).