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We evaluated stSCS effectiveness using propensity score matching (PSM) and inverse probability treatment weighting (IPTW) to adjust for baseline differences between treated and untreated patients with pDOC.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>This retrospective analysis included 186 patients with pDOC (26 stSCS-treated, 160 non-stSCS) treated at our center from 2019 to 2024. PSM (3:1 ratio) and IPTW were employed to compare consciousness improvement rates at 3 and 6\u00a0months post-onset. Univariate logistic regression identified stSCS as an independent prognostic factor.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      stSCS-treated patients demonstrated significantly higher consciousness improvement rates than non-stSCS controls at 3\u00a0months (IPTW-adjusted odds ratio [OR] 3.475, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.482\u20138.529,\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u2009=\u20090.003; PSM OR 2.524, 95% CI 1.018\u20136.529,\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u2009=\u20090.04). Benefits persisted at 6\u00a0months (IPTW OR 2.666, 95% CI 1.096\u20137.244,\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u2009=\u20090.029; PSM OR 2.789, 95% CI 1.049\u20138.458,\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u2009=\u20090.038). Regression confirmed stSCS as an independent predictor of improved outcomes (\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u2009&lt;\u20090.05).\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>This study provides preliminary evidence that suggests stSCS may be efficacious in pDOC, as indicated by sustained benefits observed at 3 and 6\u00a0months. Findings highlight the potential value of early stSCS intervention for consciousness recovery; however, further validation in larger cohorts is needed.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1007\/s12028-026-02550-y","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,28]],"date-time":"2026-05-28T18:49:33Z","timestamp":1779994173000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/springer_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Short-Term Spinal Cord Stimulation Improves Consciousness Level in Prolonged Disorders of Consciousness"],"prefix":"10.1007","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9957-2310","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ping","family":"Chen","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0007-5658-5713","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Shuai","family":"Cheng","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jingjing","family":"Li","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Chenyu","family":"Liu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Haiyang","family":"Bian","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Zhenyu","family":"Nie","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Feiyifan","family":"Wang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0005-6203-3160","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Shenghua","family":"Cui","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"297","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,28]]},"reference":[{"issue":"3","key":"2550_CR1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"135","DOI":"10.1038\/s41582-020-00428-x","volume":"17","author":"BL Edlow","year":"2021","unstructured":"Edlow BL, Claassen J, Schiff ND, Greer DM. 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