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

Background: Intensive 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.

Aims: The current study aimed to compare muscle strength and ICU-AW in COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients.

Study Design: This was a cross-sectional, descriptive-analytical pilot study.

Methods: Fifteen 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.

Results: The 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.

Conclusions: Decreased 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 Practice: Health systems should plan to provide rehabilitation facilities for COVID-19 patients and prevent prolonged complications of COVID-19.