P405 - ULTRASOUND ASSESSMENT OF MUSCLE MASS IN CRITICALLY ILL PATIENTS: NUTRITIONAL QUALITY AND OUTCOMES

P405

ULTRASOUND ASSESSMENT OF MUSCLE MASS IN CRITICALLY ILL PATIENTS: NUTRITIONAL QUALITY AND OUTCOMES

G. S. Capurro^1,*, M. Coria¹, N. A. Fuentes ², L. A. Stein², M. C. A. Viña², A. L. N. Franco¹, F. Hernández¹, M. M. Vitale ¹, L. Taboada ¹, T. Corradi ¹, L. Trigo¹

¹Hospital interzonal general de agudos Dr. Oscar Alende, ²Hospital privado de la Comunidad,, Mar del Plata, Argentina

Rationale: Bed rest, reduced nutritional intake, and inflammation associated with critical illness lead to muscle mass loss and intensive care unit-acquired weakness. Bedside muscle ultrasound may be a useful tool to assess muscle wasting.

Rectus femoris thickness has been identified as a protective factor against ICU mortality, regardless of prior nutritional status. Early initiation of enteral or parenteral nutrition can help prevent complications and reduce length of stay.

Objective:

To evaluate muscle mass loss using bedside ultrasound and assess the association between the adequacy of nutritional support and changes in muscle mass in critically ill patients.

Methods: A prospective observational cohort study conducted between August 2023 and July 2024 in two mixed ICUs in Mar del Plata. Nutritional support adequacy was assessed on days 7 and 14. Muscle mass change was evaluated via ultrasound, measuring the percentage change in muscle thickness.

Results: Seventy-eight patients were included, with a mean age of 50 years and low rates of comorbidities. Between days 1 and 7, patients experienced muscle loss ranging from 10% to 20%; between days 7 and 14, loss ranged from 25% to 40%. Nutritional and protein support adequacy exceeded 80% at both time points. No significant association was found between nutritional adequacy and muscle mass change.

Conclusion: Ultrasound assessment of skeletal muscle, particularly quadriceps thickness, is a promising tool for evaluating nutritional status in critically ill patients.

Further studies are needed to define its role in comprehensive nutritional assessment.

Disclosure of Interest: None declared