Neuromuscular electrical stimulation in critically ill traumatic brain injury patients attenuates muscle atrophy, neurophysiological disorders, and weakness: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Critically ill traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients experience extensive muscle damage during their stay in the intensive care unit. Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) has been considered a promising treatment to reduce the functional and clinical impacts of this. However, the time needed for NMES to produce effects over the muscles is still unclear.

Intra- and inter-rater reproducibility of ultrasound imaging of patellar and quadriceps tendons in critically ill patients.

Since the outset of body image reconstruction for diagnosis purposes, ultrasound has been used to investigate structural changes located in tendons. Ultrasound has clinical applications in the intensive care unit, but its utility for tendon imaging remains unknown. Thus, we aimed to determine intra- and inter-rater reproducibility of measures obtained by images generated through morphological tendon sonographic analysis recorded from critically ill patients.

Assessment of Maximum Dynamic Inspiratory Pressure.

Background: Inspiratory muscle strength has been considered an important marker of ventilatory capacity and a predictor of global performance. A new tool has become available for dynamically evaluating the maximum inspiratory pressure (the S-Index). However, the proper assessment of this parameter needs to be determined.

Neuromuscular electrophysiological disorders and muscle atrophy in mechanically-ventilated traumatic brain injury patients: New insights from a prospective observational study.

Purpose: It is unclear whether the muscular changes in mechanically-ventilated traumatic brain injury patients (TBI) are only associated with disuse or additionally to neuromuscular electrophysiological disorders (NED). The correlation between muscle atrophy and NED may affect functional outcomes and rehabilitation programs significantly.

Material And Methods: An observational study was performed to investigate the presence of NED and muscle atrophy in TBI patients undergoing mechanical ventilation.