Critical Care Observation of Motor Activity (COMA) and SICU Outcomes

Critical Care Observation of Motor Activity (COMA) - A Practicable and Valid Predictor of Patients' Outcome in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit: A Observational Study at 2 Surgical Intensive Care Units at Massachusetts General Hospital

In the surgical intensive care unit (SICU), goals of critical care are often discussed in long-term ventilated patients around the time of extubation. Muscle weakness predicts extubation failure but formal muscle strength assessment by the Medical Research Council scale is time-consuming and not part of the daily clinical exam. In this observational study, we hypothesize that COMA measurement, routinely used by the SICU nurses, is a reliable and valid predictor for patients' SICU outcomes. This prospective observational study is carried out within a consecutively enrolled cohort of adult patients who are extubated in two SICUs at Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Intubated and mechanically ventilated patients in 2 ICUs at Massachusetts General Hospital
• adult patients

Exclusion Criteria:

• Tracheostomy without extubation attempt
• Death without extubation attempt/terminal extubation