Muscle strength/intensive care unit acquired weakness in COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients.

Abstract

BackgroundIntensive care unit acquired weakness (ICU‐AW) affects both coronavirus disease 19 (COVID‐19) and non‐COVID‐19 patients. ICU‐AW can result in a variety of consequences, including increased patient mortality.AimsThe current study aimed to compare muscle strength and ICU‐AW in COVID‐19 and non‐COVID‐19 patients.Study DesignThis was a cross‐sectional, descriptive‐analytical pilot study.MethodsFifteen conscious COVID‐19 patients and 15 conscious non‐COVID‐19 patients admitted to the ICUs of a public hospital were selected by convenience sampling. Muscle strength in arms and legs was assessed by a hand‐held dynamometer (HHD), and ICU‐AW was measured with the medical research council sum score (MRC‐SS) scale on the first, fourth, and seventh days of admission to ICUs.ResultsThe results showed that muscle strength in the arms and legs of the COVID‐19 patients assessed by a HHD and MRC was significantly lower than that of non‐COVID‐19 patients. On the fourth day of ICU admission, 80% of the COVID‐19 patients and 40% of the non‐COVID‐19 patients had ICU‐AW. All COVID‐19 patients and 86.8% of the non‐COVID‐19 patients had ICU‐AW on the seventh day of ICU admission.ConclusionsDecreased muscle strength and ICU‐AW are more likely in COVID‐19 patients who must stay in the ICU compared with non‐COVID‐19 patients.Relevance to Clinical PracticeHealth systems should plan to provide rehabilitation facilities for COVID‐19 patients and prevent prolonged complications of COVID‐19.