Hyperglycemia and acquired weakness in critically ill patients: potential mechanisms
Critical illness polyneuropathy/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 IIT is used as part of routine clinical practice in the ICU, the incidence of CIP/CIM as determined by electrophysiologic testing is reduced. Our understanding of the mechanisms responsible for inducing prolonged weakness in ICU patients is limited, and the role of hyperglycemia in modulating these processes are unknown. Currently, IIT remains the only effective therapeutic intervention that has been shown to reduce the incidence of CIP/CIM.