Glasgow Outcome Scale

Not to be confused with Glasgow Coma Scale.
Glasgow Outcome Scale
PurposeCharacterizes brain injury into recovery outcome categories

The Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) is an ordinal scale used to assess functional outcomes of patients following brain injury. It considers several factors, including a patient's level of consciousness, ability to carry out activities of daily living (ADLs), and ability to return to work or school.  The scale provides a structured way to classify patient outcomes into five broad categories: death, vegetative state, severe disability, moderate disability, or good recovery.

The scale was first developed by Jennett and Bond in 1975.[1] Later, in 1981, Jennett et al. introduced the Extended Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOSE), which subdivided the upper three categories of the original scale.  This resulted in the GOSE having eight outcome categories, which aimed at providing more nuanced distinction between each category.[2][3]

Since their introductions, both the original and extended versions of the scale have been widely adopted in clinical practice, as well as in research studies on brain injury.[3]

  1. ^ Jennett, B (March 1975). "Assessment of Outcome After Severe Brain Damage – A Practical Scale". The Lancet. 305 (7905): 480–484. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(75)92830-5. PMID 46957.
  2. ^ Jennett, B; Snoek, J; Bond, M R; Brooks, N (1981-04-01). "Disability after severe head injury: observations on the use of the Glasgow Outcome Scale". Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry. 44 (4): 285–293. doi:10.1136/jnnp.44.4.285. ISSN 0022-3050. PMC 490949. PMID 6453957.
  3. ^ a b McMillan, Tom; Wilson, Lindsay; Ponsford, Jennie; Levin, Harvey; Teasdale, Graham; Bond, Michael (August 2016). "The Glasgow Outcome Scale — 40 years of application and refinement". Nature Reviews Neurology. 12 (8): 477–485. doi:10.1038/nrneurol.2016.89. hdl:1893/24514. ISSN 1759-4758. PMID 27418377.