Hyperglycemia and acquired weakness in critically ill patients: potential mechanisms.

Leigh Ann Callahan, Gerald S. Supinski

Research output: Contribution to journalComment/debate

12 Scopus citations

Abstract

Critical illness polyneuropathy/critical illness myopathy (CIP/CIM) is a major cause of mortality and long-term morbidity in critically ill patients, but the true incidence and prevalence of these syndromes are not known. Hermans and colleagues show that when intensive insulin therapy is used as part of routine clinical practice in the intensive care unit, the incidence of CIP/CIM as determined by electrophysiologic testing is reduced. Our understanding of the mechanisms responsible for inducing prolonged weakness in intensive care unit patients is limited, and the role of hyperglycemia in modulating these processes is unknown. Intensive insulin therapy currently remains the only effective therapeutic intervention that has been shown to reduce the incidence of CIP/CIM.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)125
Number of pages1
JournalCritical care (London, England)
Volume13
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - 2009

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The present work was supported by NIH grants R01 HL80609 (LAC), R01 HL80429 (GSS), and R01 HL081525 (GSS).

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Critical Care and Intensive Care Medicine

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