Table 1

Classification systems for determining the severity of head injury

Glasgow Coma Scale score*Loss of consciousnessDuration of post-traumatic amnesiaAbnormal structural imaging
Severe3–8†‡>24 hours§¶**‡
>30 min†		>24 hours§¶‡
>7 days**		Present§¶‡
Present or not present**‡
Moderate9–12†‡30 min to 24 hours§**‡
>30 min†		30 min to 24 hours
<24 hours†
>1 and <7 days‡		Not present§†
Present or not present**‡
Complicated mild13–15<30 min††<30 min††Present††
Mild13–15§†**‡
13–15 after 30 min‡‡		<30 min§¶‡**‡‡‡
Up to 24 hours‡§§		<30 min§ or
<24 hours¶‡**‡‡		Not present§¶‡**‡
No brain injury15NoneNoneNot present

  • *Without subsequent deterioration.

  • †Mayo Clinic classification.36

  • ‡Report to Congress on traumatic brain injury in the USA, Frieden and Collins.37

  • §Annegers et al.38

  • ¶Christensen et al.39

  • **ICD-10, World Health Organisation.40

  • ††Complicated mild traumatic brain injury, Iverson et al.41

  • ‡‡American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine.42

  • §§Alteration of mental state.