Critical illness neuromuscular disease: clinical, electrophysiological, and prognostic aspects.
BACKGROUND
Critical illness neuromuscular disease, which has been recognised as a distinct clinical entity in adults, remains poorly described in children.


OBJECTIVE
To assess retrospectively the clinical, electrophysiological, and prognostic features of the disease.


METHODS
Retrospective study in a children's university hospital.


RESULTS
Five critically ill patients presented with generalised paralysis, associated with long lasting failure to breathe in three. The cause of the generalised paralysis was critical illness neuropathy in two, acute myopathy in two, and mixed neuromyopathy in one.


CONCLUSIONS
Neuromuscular disease should be suspected in critically ill children with muscle weakness. Because corticosteroids and muscle relaxants appear to trigger some types of intensive care unit neuromuscular disease in children, their use should be restricted or administered at the lowest doses possible.
Tabarki
B
B
Service de neuropédiatrie et service de neurologie, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Université Catholique de Louvain, Avenue Hippocrate 10, 1200 Brussels, Belgium. bmlaiki@excite.fr
Coffiniéres
A
A
Van Den Bergh
P
P
Huault
G
G
Landrieu
P
P
Sébire
G
G
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016638:Critical Illness / Q000628:therapy*; D004576:Electromyography; D004594:Electrophysiology; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009431:Neural Conduction / Q000502:physiology; D009468:Neuromuscular Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003473:Neuromuscular Nondepolarizing Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014673:Vecuronium Bromide / Q000009:adverse effects
D003473:Neuromuscular Nondepolarizing Agents; D014673:Vecuronium Bromide