Correlations among respiratory pressures, peripheral muscle strength and functional capacity of non-ventilated patients in an ICU

Abstract

Background: Prolonged bedridden patients are prone to both respiratory and peripheral muscle strength deficits as well as functional capacity. AIM: To verify the correlations among respiratory muscle pressures, peripheral muscle strength and functionality from critically ill bed-bound non-ventilated patients within the first 48 hours after ICU admission. Methods: A cross-sectional study with 82 patients (47 men), mean age was 57.8±19.54 years, and the following variables were analysed and correlated: maximal respiratory pressures (MIP and MEP) measured by manovacuometry, peripheral muscle strength by MRC score, hand grip strength (HGS) by dynamometry, and functionality by the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) and the Basic Mobility Scale (BMS) scales. The sample was classified by clinical and surgical characteristics and the correlations were verified through the Pearson test with p Results: MIP presented correlation with HGS (r=0.76, p Conclusion: In up to 48 hours of ICU stay, correlation of maximum respiratory pressures with hand grip strength was found and only MIP negatively and significantly correlated with the functional capacity found through BMS.