Intensive Care Unit Acquired Weakness

Background: Virtual reality is recognized as a progressive technology with the potential to enhance the rehabilitation process. Immersive virtual reality-based treatments can improve motor outcomes in physical rehabilitation, reduce stress caused by the intensive care unit environment and maximize patients' recovery processes. Objective: To analyze the efficacy of rehabilitation using immersive virtual reality on patient satisfaction and experience, functional and clinical outcomes and the feasibility of its application during the hospitalization period in an intensive care unit (ICU). Methods: This is a randomized controlled clinical trial involving ICU patients aged 18 years or older, with an estimated ICU stay of ≥ 72 hours, the ability to understand and follow verbal instructions and no diagnosis of psychotic disorders, visual impairment, or hearing loss. Patients will be divided into two groups: one undergoing traditional physiotherapy rehabilitation - control group (CG), and the other receiving physiotherapy using immersive virtual reality (IVR group). The following evaluations will be conducted: mobility condition, physical and psychological discomfort, estimated physical activity level, occurrence of delirium, cognitive decline screening, functionality classification, motivation level, patient experience, sense of immersion in the virtual reality environment, patient satisfaction during the rehabilitation process, occurrence of adverse events, and protocol feasibility. Data will be presented in graphs and tables. Results will be considered statistically significant at a 5% significance level (p ≤ 0.05), and all analyses will be performed using SPSS Statistics version 22. Expected results: The investigators expect to find evidence that rehabilitation using immersive virtual reality can promote and enable a more pleasant and less traumatic experience during the patient's hospitalization, with greater satisfaction and adherence to the proposed rehabilitation, in addition to being an effective tool to optimize patients' functional and clinical outcomes.

Patients receiving mechanical ventilation in the intensive care unit (ICU) frequently develop ICU-acquired weakness - a condition marked by widespread muscle loss and weakness caused by prolonged bed rest, severe illness, and systemic inflammation. This complication can lengthen time on the ventilator, extend ICU stays, and lead to lasting physical disability. Standard rehabilitation therapies in the ICU have limited ability to slow muscle loss because critically ill patients cannot tolerate high levels of exercise. Blood flow restriction training (BFRT) is a rehabilitation technique that uses an inflatable cuff on the upper leg to partially restrict blood flow during low-intensity exercise. This approach is known to stimulate muscle growth and preserve strength with much lower physical effort than traditional strength training, making it a promising option for vulnerable ICU patients. This randomized controlled trial is designed to test the safety and effectiveness of BFRT in mechanically ventilated adults with ICU-acquired weakness. A total of 120 eligible patients will be randomly divided into three groups: A control group receiving standard ICU medical care and routine rehabilitation A group receiving standard care plus BFRT at 40% of individual limb occlusion pressure A group receiving standard care plus BFRT at 60% of individual limb occlusion pressure All patients will receive 2 weeks of intervention. The research team will measure and compare muscle strength, lower limb muscle size (via ultrasound), blood inflammatory markers, duration of mechanical ventilation, length of ICU stay, and ventilator weaning success rates across the three groups. This study aims to determine whether adding BFRT to standard rehabilitation can improve muscle function, reduce systemic inflammation, and shorten hospital recovery time for these patients, and which pressure level provides the optimal balance of benefits and safety.

Patients in intensive care often develop acquired muscle weakness (ICUAW or Intensive Care Unit Acquired Weakness) due to immobilization and muscle atrophy. Early mobilization can help reduce weakness and improve functional recovery, but practices vary. Muscle strength assessment, particularly using the MRC (Medical Research Council) score, is crucial, though it has precision limitations. Additional methods, such as manual dynamometry and functional scales, are needed to better track muscle recovery. The quadriceps, important for function, requires early evaluation, but there is a lack of specific data in intensive care to predict medium-term functional recovery.

Muscle weakness acquired in the ICU (FAUTI) is related to the functional decline of patients admitted to an Intensive Care Unit (ICU). For better follow-up, scales such as (Chelsea Critical Care Physical Assessment) CPAx and (Medical Research Council) MRC help to identify early the muscle and functional impairment of these patients. Early mobilization aims to minimize these effects and therefore the search to reach the highest mobility milestone is constant bedside sitting (BSS) is an important milestone in recovery, associated with better functional results when there is good trunk control, as the coordinated activation of muscles in this region is essential for stabilization and reaching higher postures. The physiotherapeutic approach focused on the components of the activities and on the patient's participation is crucial, with the therapeutic option of Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF). To evaluate the effect of exercises based on the PNF concept through the Test Control Trunk (TCT) on the trunk balance of patients admitted to the ICU. This is a randomized, crossover clinical trial, carried out at the Pedro Ernesto University Hospital from June 2026 to June 2027. Adults hospitalized for more than 48 hours who meet the inclusion criteria will be screened. and clinical evaluation. The study consists of two blocks of pre- and post-crossover evaluations, conducted by the same blind evaluator. Patients will undergo assessments on the first day of BSS, including assessment of the trunk with TCT and assessment of diaphragm mobility and thickness by ultrasound, before and after intervention (PNF or conventional exercises). Between assessments, there will be a 3-hour rest period.

Up to 60% of patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) with a prolonged stay in the ICU develop complications such as intensive care unit acquired weakness (ICUAW) characterized by limb and respiratory muscle weakness. ICUAW is associated with worse prognosis, longer ICU stay and increased morbidity and mortality. Physical therapy (PT) interventions in the intensive care unit (ICU), can improve patients' outcomes. However, improvements in muscle function achieved with standard physical activity interventions aiming at early mobilization are highly variable due to lack of consistency in definition of the interventions, lack of consideration for the complexity of exercise dose and/or insufficient stimulation of muscles during interventions. It has been suggested that modifying early mobilization and exercise protocols towards shorter intervals consisting of higher intensity exercises might result in more optimal stimulation of muscles. In the present study the researchers therefore aim to simultaneously assess (by non-invasive technologies) locomotor muscle oxygenation and activation along with the measurements of the load imposed on respiration and circulation during two different training modalities i.e., moderate intensity continuous bed-cycling (endurance training) vs high-intensity alternated by lower intensity periods of bed-cycling (interval training).

This single-blind, three-group parallel randomized controlled trial will involve 138 patients with critical illness, randomly assigned at a 1:1:1 ratio to the technology-assisted early mobilization group (46 patients), the systematic early mobilization group (46 patients), or the control group (46 patients). The technology-assisted early mobilization group will receive interventions within 72 hours of ventilator use. The interventions include protocol-oriented early mobilization program carried out by physiotherapist and researcher and technology-assisted in-bed activities primarily assisted by family members. The systematic early mobilization group will receive only the similar protocol-oriented early mobilization program within 72 hours of ventilator use. The control group will receive routine rehabilitation as usual. The primary outcomes include occurrence of intensive care unit-acquired weakness (ICUAW). Secondary outcomes include muscle strength, delirium, sleep status, clinical outcomes, activities of daily living, and quality of life. Measurements will be assessed on the day of enrollment, during the ICU stay, on the day of ICU discharge (or up to 28 days), on the day of hospital discharge, and six months after hospital discharge.

This longitudinal, prospective observational study aims to evaluate functional status in critically ill adult patients in the Intensive Care Unit using the Chelsea Critical Care Physical Assessment Tool (CPAx). The primary objective is to analyze CPAx score variation as a potential predictor of clinical outcomes, including mortality and duration of mechanical ventilation. Functional assessments will be performed at intensive care unit (ICU) admission and discharge to monitor changes in physical function and to predict adverse clinical outcomes.

Modern intensive care enables patients to survive insults that in the past would have been supralethal. Nonetheless, increased number of survivors suffer from failed functional outcomes associated with prolonged muscle weakness and fatiguability. Whilst alterations of skeletal muscle biology that occur during critical illness slowly disappear over the period of months, muscle weakness remains. Recent pilot studies have shown that muscle weakness is associated with loss and alteration of satellite skeletal muscle cells, which are supposed to proliferate and repair damaged muscle tissue. The pathogenesis of this phenomenon has not been fully understood. In this grant project, we will study function and structure of satellite cells and their organelles (particularly mitochondria) using both classical bioenergetics and advanced microscopic techniques. Satellite cells will be isolated from biopsies taken from critically ill patients with developed muscle weakness in the acute and protracted phase of a disease and after 6 months. In time points, an ultrasound examination of muscle mass will be performed, and metabolism will be assessed using insulin clamps. In an in vitro experiments, we will test also effect of nutritional and anabolic factors and drugs, commonly used in ICU, on satellite cells. In a control branch, cells will be isolated from skeletal muscle of volunteers undergoing elective hip replacement surgery. Results of this study could significantly contribute to understanding of mechanisms leading to ICU acquired muscle weakness and to identify therapeutic strategy in future.

Over-resuscitation including fluid overload has been associated with increased morbidity (prolonged duration of organ failure) and mortality in septic shock. "One-size-fits-all" resuscitation strategies may increase septic shock mortality. However, clinical studies on individualized resuscitation are lacking. Hemodynamic phenotyping may allow to individualize septic shock resuscitation. The ANDROMEDA-SHOCK trial found that a simple clinical and bedside CRT-targeted resuscitation reduces organ dysfunction and 28-day mortality in septic shock. The current study will examine the hypothesis that a CRT-targeted resuscitation based on hemodynamic phenotyping considering within an decision tree usual bedside clinical parameters such as pulse pressure, diastolic blood pressure, fluid responsiveness and cardiac performance can further decrease mortality in septic shock as compared to usual care.

Intensive Care Unit Acquired Weakness (ICU-AW) is a common complication of critical illnesses, occurring in approximately 50% of ICU patients and is strongly associated with increased morbidity, physical impairments, and both short- and long-term mortality. The main characteristics of ICU-AW are symmetrical generalised muscle weakness affecting both respiratory and limb muscles; however, the clinical phenotype may differ depending on age, disease burden, length of ICU stay, and mechanical ventilation duration. The objective of the present study is to evaluate the feasibility achieved and the safety outcomes reported in a cohort of critically ill patients who undergo early mobilisation and rehabilitation in intensive care units. This research is a multicentre prospective cohort study.