Article

Critical-Illness-Polyneuropathy (CIP) is common in critically ill
patients. In contrast to CIP arousing from primary non-neurological causes,
studies dealing with CIP following a primary neurological illness are rare. This
mono-center, retrospective study was performed to examine a) the incidence of CIP
in patients after severe neurological illnesses and b) the impact on ventilator
therapy. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of all patients, admitted
for early (post-acute) neurological rehabilitation following severe neurological
diseases between 01.01.2006 and 31.12.2010. Patients routinely underwent standard
electrophysiological evaluation (nerve conduction studies of 8 motor and 6
sensory nerves; needle electromyography of 6 muscles). Diagnosis of CIP required
a) pathological spontaneous activity in at least two muscles and b) reduced
compound muscle activity potentials (CMAP) in at least two motor nerves of
different extremities. RESULTS: CIP was diagnosed in 430 of 623 patients (69.0%).
Patients with proven CIP required significantly (p < 0.001) longer ventilator
therapy (33.1 days) in contrast to patients without CIP (21.5 days). CONCLUSION:
CIP is common in patients suffering from primary severe neurological diseases.
Due to CIP, duration of ventilator therapy is significantly prolonged. In
patients with severe neurological diseases electrophysiology is crucial to
establish the correct diagnosis.

Langue : ANGLAIS