Electrodiagnostic studies in the intensive care unit: A comparison study 2 decades later

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Intensive Care Medicine

Background:

• Critical illness myopathy (CIM) and critical illness polyneuropathy (CIP) are increasingly recognized causes of weakness in intensive care units (ICUs).
• Electrodiagnostic studies (EDX) are crucial for diagnosing neuromuscular disorders in critically ill patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the changing trends in the utilization of EDX for CIM and CIP in the ICU over a 19-20 year period.
• To compare the current prevalence of CIM/CIP diagnosed via EDX with historical data.

Main Methods:

• A review of 100 consecutive ICU patients who underwent EDX between 2009 and 2015.
• Comparison of findings with a previously published cohort from 1990-1995.

Main Results:

• 39% of patients had CIM, CIP, or both, a decrease from 55% in the earlier study (P=0.04).
• Diagnoses of traditional pre-ICU weakness causes increased slightly from 29% to 36% (P=0.3).

Conclusions:

• CIM and CIP remain significant contributors to ICU-acquired weakness requiring EDX.
• The proportion of CIM/CIP cases diagnosed by EDX in the ICU has declined, potentially due to evolving perceptions of EDX utility and selective application.