What Glasgow Coma Scale score range reflects a moderate injury?

The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) is a neurological scale used to assess the level of consciousness in a person following a traumatic brain injury. The scale consists of three components: eye opening, verbal response, and motor response, each of which is scored individually. The total score can range from 3 (indicating deep unconsciousness) to 15 (indicating full consciousness).

A score of 9 to 12 on the GCS indicates a moderate head injury. This range suggests that the patient is not fully alert and exhibits some degree of impaired consciousness, which may include confusion and a decreased ability to respond to external stimuli. Such patients typically require closer monitoring and may benefit from medical intervention to address the underlying causes of their impaired consciousness.

In contrast, lower scores (3-8) indicate severe brain injury with a significantly reduced level of responsiveness, while higher scores (13-15) reflect mild brain injury or a fully alert state. A score of 16-20 is not applicable, as the maximum score on the Glasgow Coma Scale is 15. Thus, the score range of 9-12 is clearly representative of moderate injury, necessitating appropriate medical assessment and management.