Early type II fiber atrophy in intensive care unit patients with nonexcitable muscle membrane.

Abstract

Intensive care unit-acquired weakness indicates increased morbidity and mortality. Nonexcitable muscle membrane after direct muscle stimulation develops early and predicts intensive care unit-acquired weakness in sedated, mechanically ventilated patients. A comparison of muscle histology at an early stage in intensive care unit-acquired weakness has not been done. We investigated whether nonexcitable muscle membrane indicates fast-twitch myofiber atrophy during the early course of critical illness.