Incidence and risk factors of peripheral nerve injuries 3 months after ICU discharge: a retrospective study comparing COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 critically ill survivors

C Malengreaux; P Minguet; C Colson; N Dardenne; B Misset; A F Rousseau

doi:10.1186/s44158-024-00144-8

Incidence and risk factors of peripheral nerve injuries 3 months after ICU discharge: a retrospective study comparing COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 critically ill survivors

J Anesth Analg Crit Care. 2024 Feb 9;4(1):10. doi: 10.1186/s44158-024-00144-8.

Authors

C Malengreaux¹, P Minguet², C Colson², N Dardenne³, B Misset², A F Rousseau^{2

4}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Intensive Care and Burn Centre, University Hospital of Liège, Avenue de L'Hôpital,1, University of Liège, Sart-Tilman B35, Liège, B-4000, Belgium. cmalengreaux@chuliege.be.
² Department of Intensive Care and Burn Centre, University Hospital of Liège, Avenue de L'Hôpital,1, University of Liège, Sart-Tilman B35, Liège, B-4000, Belgium.
³ University and Hospital Biostatistics Centre (B-STAT), University of Liège, Liège, Belgium.
⁴ GIGA-Research, GIGA-I3 Thematic Unit, Inflammation and Enhanced Rehabilitation Laboratory (Intensive Care), University of Liège, Liège, Belgium.

Abstract

Background: Peripheral nerve injuries (PNI) have been associated with prone positioning (PP) in mechanically ventilated (MV) patients with COVID-19 pneumonia. The aims of this retrospective study were to describe PNI prevalence 3 months (M3) after intensive care unit (ICU) discharge, whether patients survived COVID-19 or another critical illness, and to search for risk factors of PNI.

Results: A total of 55 COVID (62 [54-69] years) and 22 non-COVID (61.5 [48-71.5] years) patients were followed at M3, after an ICU stay of respectively 15 [9-26.5] and 13.5 [10-19.8] days. PNI symptoms were reported by 23/55 (42.6%) COVID-19 and 8/22 (36%) non-COVID-19 patients (p = 0.798). As the incidence of PNI was similar in both groups, the entire population was used to determine risk factors. The MV duration predicted PNI occurrence (OR (CI95%) = 1.05 (1.01-1.10), p = 0.028), but not the ICU length of stay, glucocorticoids, or inflammation biomarkers.

Conclusion: In the present cohort, PNI symptoms were reported in at least one-third of the ICU survivors, in similar proportion whether patients suffered from severe COVID-19 or not.

Keywords: COVID-19; Critical illness; Follow-up clinic; Glucocorticoids; Peripheral nerve injury.