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Updated: Jul 18, 2025
Manual Muscle Testing: A Method of Measuring Extremity Muscle Strength Applied to Critically Ill Patients
Published on: April 12, 2011
Muscle strength and mobility of individuals with COVID-19 compared with non-COVID-19 in intensive care
Graziele S Tavares1, Cristino C Oliveira2, Liliane P S Mendes3
1Postgraduate Research Program in Rehabilitation Sciences, School of Physical Education, Physical Therapy, and Occupational Therapy, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil; Department of Physical Therapy, Hospital Metropolitano Dr. Célio de Castro, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
Background:
Critical illness may affect muscle strength and mobility.
Objectives:
To compare muscle strength, mobility, and in intensive care unit (ICU)-acquired weakness (ICUAW) prevalence among individuals with COVID-19 and other critical illnesses; to identify factors associated with muscle strength, mobility, and length of stay in COVID-19; and to determine the Perme Intensive Care Unit Mobility Score (PICUMS) cut-off point for ICUAW.
Methods:
We included individuals aged ≥18 in ICU who require mechanical ventilation. We excluded those diagnosed with neuromusculoskeletal diseases or who did not understand the study procedures. The Medical Research Council - sum score (MRC-SS) and the PICUMS were applied before ICU and hospital discharge. Analysis of covariance, Quade´s test, and Fisher's exact test compared groups. Partial correlations were analized between the MRC-SS and PICUMS with clinical variables. Regression models identified the predictors of hospital length of stay. The ROC curve verified the PICUMS related to ICUAW. Significance was set as P<.05.
Results:
25 individuals were included in the COVID-19 group and 23 in the non-COVID-19 group. No between-groups difference was observed in MRC-SS and PICUMS at discharge from ICU or hospital. The MRC-SS and PICUMS at ICU discharge predicted the length of hospital stay in the COVID-19 group. The PICUMS cut-off related to ICUAW was 18.
Conclusions:
Muscle strength, mobility, and ICUAW are similar between COVID-19 and non-COVID-19. However, muscle strength and mobility at ICU discharge are associated with the length of stay during COVID-19. A PICUMS<18 at ICU discharge may indicate impaired physical functioning due to ICUAW.
