[Paralysis caused by carbohydrate during intensive care]

In 30 septic, edematous intensive care patients a polyneuropathy occurred during treatment of peritonitis, pancreatitis, adult respiratory distress syndrome, or bronchopneumonia; 28 patients developed a complete tetraplegia. We believe this neuropathy to be an important cause of weaning failure. All patients had received parenteral or enteral nutrition with 240-800 g carbohydrate per day. Clinical data indicate that impairment of carbohydrate metabolism was the essential cause of the polyneuropathy. In 14 patients carbohydrate administration was continued; 13 died without neuromuscular recovery. In 16 patients carbohydrate nutrition was reduced to 100-250 g per day after the occurrence of tetraplegia; 13 of these made a full neurologic recovery.