title: Incidence and onset of critical illness polyneuropathy in patients with septic shock.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To estimate the incidence and onset of critical illness polyneuropathy (CIP) in patients in septic shock.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective, observational study, no interventions, in a general 9-bed ICU of a large teaching hospital. Twenty-five patients consecutively admitted to the ICU for treatment of septic shock were studied. Within 72 h of admission to the ICU a complete neurological examination and electromyografic studies were done. Studies were repeated weekly until discharge of ICU or death or CIP confirmed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nineteen patients developed CIP (76%), with a majority (80%) within 72 h after onset of septic shock. All twenty-two patients with multi organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) had CIP. The three patients without MODS did not have CIP (P<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In a group of patients suffering from septic shock the incidence of CIP is high (76%). The onset is early, within 72 h after onset of septic shock. CIP is an early feature of MODS, developing after septic shock.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Twenteborg Ziekenhuis, Almelo, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tepper
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rakic
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Haas
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Woittiez
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015897:Comorbidity; D016638:Critical Illness; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009102:Multiple Organ Failure / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011115:Polyneuropathies / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012772:Shock, Septic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013997:Time Factors