ROUNDS Studies: Relation of OUtcomes with Nutrition Despite Severity—Round One: Ultrasound Muscle Measurements in Critically Ill Adult Patients

Abstract

Malnutrition (undernutrition) encompasses low intake or uptake, loss of fat mass, and muscle wasting and is associated with worse outcomes. Ultrasound has been introduced in the intensive care unit as a tool to assess muscle mass. The aim of the present study is to explore the relation between initial muscle mass and mortality in adult patients admitted to the intensive care unit. Methods. Rectus femoris and vastus intermedius thicknesses were measured by B-mode ultrasound in adult patients at admission, along with demographic characteristics, illness severity, comorbidities, biochemical variables, treatments, and in-hospital mortality as main outcomes. Analysis was made comparing survivors versus nonsurvivors and finally using binary logistic regression with mortality as dependent variable. Results. 59 patients were included in the analysis, severity measured by sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score was greater in nonsurvivors (17 (7) versus 24 (10) and 3 (1–5) versus 7 (3–10), resp.). Also, muscle thickness was lower in the latter group (1.44 (0.59) cm versus 0.98 (0.3) cm). Logistic regression showed severity by SOFA score as a risk factor and muscle thickness as a protective factor for mortality. Conclusion. Muscle mass showed to be a protective factor despite severity of illness; there is much more work to do regarding interventions and monitoring in order to prevent or overcome low muscle mass at admission to the intensive care unit.

Ultrasonography to measure quadriceps muscle in critically ill patients: A literature review of reported methodologies

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“…5,[12][13][14] Timepoint of assessments. All but seven 8,[14][15][16][17][18][19] authors reported serial US measurements. Of these, only six explicitly reported being conducted after ICU discharge 5,[20][21][22][23][24] (Table 3).…”

Current Evidence for the Use of Smoflipid® Emulsion in Critical Care Patients for Parenteral Nutrition

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Feasibility of Serial Ultrasound Measurements of the Rectus Femoris Muscle Area to Assess Muscle Loss in Patients Awaiting Liver Transplantation in the Intensive Care Unit

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