O006 - HANDGRIP DYNAMOMETRY AS AN EARLY PREDICTOR OF RECOVERY OF MARCHING IN PLACE IN THE ICU: A PROSPECTIVE SINGLE-CENTER OBSERVATIONAL STUDY

O006

HANDGRIP DYNAMOMETRY AS AN EARLY PREDICTOR OF RECOVERY OF MARCHING IN PLACE IN THE ICU: A PROSPECTIVE SINGLE-CENTER OBSERVATIONAL STUDY

R. Fiut^1,*, W. Wasyluk², A. Wójcik-Załuska¹, W. Dąbrowski³

¹Department of Clinical Physiotherapy, ²Department of Internal Medicine and Internal Nursing, ³I Clinic of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Therapy, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland

Rationale: Intensive care unit-acquired weakness (ICU-AW) is a common complication of critical illness and is associated with poorer mobility and delayed recovery of functional capacity. The aim of this study was to assess whether handgrip strength (HGS) can predict the likelihood and time to regain the ability to march in place during ICU hospitalization.

Methods: This prospective, single-center observational study was conducted in the ICU. Adult patients who had regained a sufficient level of consciousness and cooperation to allow reliable assessment were included. HGS was assessed using handgrip dynamometry, and the analyzed endpoint was achievement of the ability to march in place. Time-to-event analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method with the log-rank test. The association between exceeding the diagnostic ICU-AW threshold and achievement of marching in place was evaluated using relative risk.

Results: A total of 124 patients were included in the analysis, including 82 men and 42 women. Marching in place was achieved by 67% of patients. Patients with HGS above the diagnostic ICU-AW threshold, that is, ≥11 kg in men and ≥7 kg in women, were significantly more likely to achieve marching in place than patients below this threshold, 91.0% vs 28.3%, RR 3.22, 95% CI 2.02-5.13, p < 0.001. A higher baseline HGS was associated with a shorter time to achieve this functional milestone. Kaplan-Meier curves differed significantly between groups (χ² = 59.89, p < 0.001), indicating that lower baseline HGS was associated with delayed recovery of the ability to march in place.

Conclusion: A higher baseline HGS promotes faster achievement of marching in place, and values of ≥11 kg in men and ≥7 kg in women identify patients with a greater likelihood of regaining this ability.

Disclosure of Interest: None declared