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Manual Muscle Testing: A Method of Measuring Extremity Muscle Strength Applied to Critically Ill Patients
Published on: April 12, 2011
Critical illness polyneuropathy and myopathy in the intensive care unit
Wolfgang Zink1, Rainer Kollmar, Stefan Schwab
1Department of Anesthesiology, University of Regensburg, Germany.
Abstract:
Critical illness polyneuropathy (CIP) and critical illness myopathy (CIM) are major complications that occur in severely ill patients who require intensive care treatment. CIP and CIM affect the limb and respiratory muscles, and, as a consequence, they characteristically complicate weaning from the ventilator, increase the length of stay on the intensive care unit, and prolong physical rehabilitation. The basic pathophysiology of both disorders is complex and involves metabolic, inflammatory and bioenergetic alterations. It is unclear at present whether CIP and CIM are distinct entities, or whether they just represent different 'organ' manifestations of a common pathophysiological mechanism. This article provides an overview of the clinical and diagnostic features of CIP and CIM and discusses current pathophysiological and therapeutic concepts relating to these neuromuscular disorders.
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