Our paper entitled “Survival and consciousness recovery are better in the minimally conscious state than in the vegetative state” showing how much it is important to detect Minimally Conscious State (MCS) even early after a brain injury (here <90 days in the ICU) is available online on Brain Injury.

Survival and, more importantly, recovery of consciousness with at least a partial autonomy (GOSE>3) were more frequent if a patient was diagnosed MCS (47%, in comparison to only 3% for patients in a Vegetative State); see figure below).

Functional outcome in patients in the vegetative (VS/UWS) and the minimally conscious state (MCS).
Histograms of vegetative state (aka Unresponsive Wakefulenss Syndrome - VS/UWS) and MCS outcomes evaluated with the GOSE scale. Delay from acute brain injury and outcome was ~16 months.
GOSE = 4 corresponds to a patient with a severe disability but conscious and who can be left at least 8h during the day without assistance.

Reference: Faugeras F, Rohaut B, Valente M, Sitt J.D, Demeret S, Bolgert F, et al. Survival and consciousness recovery are better in the minimally conscious state than in the vegetative state. Brain Injury. 2018 Jan;32:72-77.