Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42209903›Full record

ArticleNeurocritical care2026

Short-Term Spinal Cord Stimulation Improves Consciousness Level in Prolonged Disorders of Consciousness.

Ping Chen, Shuai Cheng, Jingjing Li, Chenyu Liu, Haiyang Bian, Zhenyu Nie, Feiyifan Wang, Shenghua Cui

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Article in Neurocritical care, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Ping Chen *The Second Affliated Hospital, Department of Neurosurgery, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, Hunan, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9957-2310
Shuai Cheng *The Second Affliated Hospital, Department of Neurosurgery, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, Hunan, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0007-5658-5713
Jingjing LiThe Second Affliated Hospital, Department of Neurosurgery, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, Hunan, China.
Chenyu LiuThe Second Affliated Hospital, Department of Neurosurgery, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, Hunan, China.
Haiyang BianThe Second Affliated Hospital, Department of Neurosurgery, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, Hunan, China.
Zhenyu NieThe Second Affliated Hospital, Department of Neurosurgery, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, Hunan, China.
Feiyifan WangThe Second Affliated Hospital, Department of Neurosurgery, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, Hunan, China.
Shenghua CuiThe Second Affliated Hospital, Department of Neurosurgery, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, Hunan, China. cshbpk@163.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0005-6203-3160

Funding

Department of Science and Technology of Hunan Province 2020SK51707Health Commission of Hunan Province 202204044852Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province 2025JJ81023
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundShort-term spinal cord stimulation (stSCS) has emerged as a potential therapy for prolonged disorders of consciousness (pDOC), but its efficacy remains debated owing to prior studies lacking controls. We evaluated stSCS effectiveness using propensity score matching (PSM) and inverse probability treatment weighting (IPTW) to adjust for baseline differences between treated and untreated patients with pDOC.

methodsThis retrospective analysis included 186 patients with pDOC (26 stSCS-treated, 160 non-stSCS) treated at our center from 2019 to 2024. PSM (3:1 ratio) and IPTW were employed to compare consciousness improvement rates at 3 and 6 months post-onset. Univariate logistic regression identified stSCS as an independent prognostic factor.

resultsstSCS-treated patients demonstrated significantly higher consciousness improvement rates than non-stSCS controls at 3 months (IPTW-adjusted odds ratio [OR] 3.475, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.482-8.529, p = 0.003; PSM OR 2.524, 95% CI 1.018-6.529, p = 0.04). Benefits persisted at 6 months (IPTW OR 2.666, 95% CI 1.096-7.244, p = 0.029; PSM OR 2.789, 95% CI 1.049-8.458, p = 0.038). Regression confirmed stSCS as an independent predictor of improved outcomes (p < 0.05).

conclusionsThis study provides preliminary evidence that suggests stSCS may be efficacious in pDOC, as indicated by sustained benefits observed at 3 and 6 months. Findings highlight the potential value of early stSCS intervention for consciousness recovery; however, further validation in larger cohorts is needed.

Indexed as

Disorders of consciousnessMinimally conscious stateNeuromodulationShort-term spinal cord stimulation

Identifiers

PMID42209903

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.