Neuromodulation for Prevention of Intensive Care Unit Acquired Weakness and Post Intensive Care Syndrome

Study Summary

Post-intensive care syndrome (PICS) encompasses persistent physical, cognitive, and psychiatric symptoms following ICU discharge, commonly triggered by serious conditions such as respiratory failure, sepsis, and mechanical ventilation. PICS prevalence is reported to be as high as 84% up to 12 months in patients with at least 2 days spent in the ICU or with mechanical ventilatory support. As a consequence, many patients do not return to they former level of function for weeks, months and even years. Muscular affection manifested by muscle weakness is particularly seen and is provoked by a combination of damage to the nerves or directly the muscles fibers. This affection is referred to as CU-Acquired Weakness (ICUAW). One third of the time, lower extremities are affected, often due to prolonged immobilization or sedation. Evidence suggests that early mobilization reduces the incidence of ICUAW at discharge and improves the number of patients able of stand. However achieving this early intervention is not always feasible due to time or personnel constraints. The purpose of the study is to examine the effectiveness of lower extremity neuromodulation for prevention of muscle deconditioning in patients admitted to the ICU.

Primary Outcome

Gastrocnemius muscle endurance was assessed by measuring sustained involuntary muscle contractions using surface electromyography (sEMG; Delsys Trigno). During a 60-minute electrical stimulation therapy session, sEMG signals were recorded from the last two minutes of the therapy to evaluate muscle activity in response to electrical stimulation. The recorded sEMG data were normalized to the average sEMG signals captured during the same interval, yielding values in normalized units (n.u.), higher

Conditions Studied

Interventions

• DEVICE Intervention Group
• DEVICE Control Group

Study Locations (1)