Reliability of the Glasgow Coma Scale for the emergency department evaluation of poisoned patients

The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) was developed for monitoring the mental status of head-injured patients in the intensive care unit. The purpose of this study is to determine the inter-rater reliability of the GCS for poisoning patients in the emergency department. Methods: This was a prospective, observational study. Two observers used a standard assessment checklist to determine the GCS of suspected poisoning patients. Inter-rater reliability was assessed with a weighted Kappa score. Results: A total of 39 patients were enrolled. Weighted kappa for the total GCS demonstrated excellent agreement. Agreement was also good for each component of the score. Conclusion: The GCS is a reliable tool for the evaluation of mental status of poisoning patients in the emergency department.