Muscle Evaluation of Patients Infected by the Coronavirus

Muscle Evaluation of Patients Infected by the Coronavirus Requiring Mechanical Ventilation

Patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) presents risk to develop muscle weakness associated with prolonged period of mechanical ventilation support and hospital stay.

Intensive care unit (ICU) acquired muscle weakness affects both respiratory and peripheral muscles and can contribute to worsen clinical and functional outcomes. In this way, ultrasonography muscle evaluation could help to identify early alterations guiding the therapeutic planning and allowing to monitor the interventions performed. Therefore, the investigators intend to follow up mechanically ventilated patients with confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 during ICU stay to quantify the diaphragm, parasternal intercostal, abdominals and femoral quadriceps muscles thickness assessed by ultrasonography. Additionally, functional capacity, frailty and level of physical activity will be evaluated and followed for pre-admission condition and 30, 90 and 180 days after hospital discharge .

Inclusion Criteria:

• patients admitted to ICU
• having a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19
• requiring invasive mechanical ventilation.

Exclusion Criteria:

• exclusive palliative care;
• neuromuscular diseases;
• patients who evolve with the need for lower limb amputation;
• previous known diaphragm malformations and dysfunctions;
• patients transferred from other institutions under invasive mechanical ventilation;
• clinical conditions that make the respiratory and peripheral muscle assessment through ultrasound unfeasible.