BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Coma state constitutes at least 3% of patients referring to hospital emergency unit. Knowing the common causes of coma in each region can be effective in preventing and treating these cases. The aim of this study was to assess the causes of loss of consciousness and coma state in patients referred to Ayatollah Rouhani hospital in Babol (2011-2012).

METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 108 patients with complaint of loss of consciousness presenting to the hospital emergency department of Ayatollah Rouhani hospital in Babol, Iran (2011-2012).  Demographic characteristics, primary diagnosis and degree of coma were recorded and then clinical signs and causes of loss of consciousness were surveyed. 

FINDINGS: Of 108 studied patients, 54 patients (50 %) were women and 54(50 %) were men. The mean age of the study population was 66.81±18.52 with a median of 72 years. Most common clinical signs were hemiparesis in 12(11.1%) and urinary incontinence in 11 cases (10.2%). Regarding the history of comorbid disease, there was hypertension in 42 patients (38.9%), stroke in 38(35.2 %) and diabetes in 37(34.3 %), respectively. In final diagnosis infectious diseases in 23 cases (21.3%) was the most etiology, cerebrovascular disease in 18(16.6%), metabolic causes in 16(14.8%), seizure disorder in 12(11.1%) and intoxication in 10(9.3%) were the other common causes. 

CONCLUSION: The results of this study showed that infectious diseases and cerebrovascular disease and metabolic disorders were most common causes of loss of consciousness but history of systemic disorders such as hypertension and previous neurological disease especially ischemic stroke were seen in many cases.