Objective Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has a high incidence of intensive care admittance due to the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). Intensive care unit (ICU)-acquired weakness (ICUAW) is a common complication of ICU patients consisting of symmetric and generalised weakness. The aim of this study was to determine the presence of myopathy, neuropathy or both in ICU patients affected by COVID-19 and whether ICUAW associated with COVID-19 differs from other aetiologies. Methods Twelve SARS CoV-2 positive patients referred with the suspicion of critical illness myopathy (CIM) or polyneuropathy (CIP) were included between March and May 2020. Nerve conduction and concentric needle electromyography were performed in all patients while admitted to the hospital. Muscle biopsies were obtained in three patients. Results Four patients presented signs of a sensory-motor axonal polyneuropathy and seven patients showed signs of myopathy. One muscle biopsy showed scattered necrotic and regenerative fibres without inflammatory signs. The other two biopsies showed non-specific myopathic findings. Conclusions We have not found any distinctive features in the studies of the ICU patients affected by SARS-CoV-2 infection. Significance Further studies are needed to determine whether COVID-19-related CIM/CIP has different features from other aetiologies. Neurophysiological studies are essential in the diagnosis of these patients.

中文翻译：

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COVID-19危重患者的神经肌肉受累

目的 2019 年冠状病毒病（COVID-19）因严重急性呼吸系统综合症（SARS）而入院重症监护的发病率很高。重症监护病房（ICU）获得性无力（ICUAW）是ICU患者常见的并发症，包括对称性和全身性无力。本研究的目的是确定受 COVID-19 影响的 ICU 患者是否存在肌病、神经病或两者兼而有之，以及与 COVID-19 相关的 ICUAW 是否与其他病因不同。方法 纳入 2020 年 3 月至 5 月期间转诊的 12 例疑似危重病肌病（CIM）或多发性神经病（CIP）的 SARS CoV-2 阳性患者。所有患者在入院时均进行神经传导和同心针肌电图检查。对三名患者进行了肌肉活检。结果 4 名患者出现感觉运动轴突多发性神经病的体征，7 名患者出现肌病的体征。一项肌肉活检显示散在的坏死和再生纤维，没有炎症迹象。另外两次活检显示非特异性肌病发现。结论 我们在 ICU 感染 SARS-CoV-2 患者的研究中尚未发现任何明显特征。意义 需要进一步研究以确定与 COVID-19 相关的 CIM/CIP 是否具有与其他病因不同的特征。神经生理学研究对于这些患者的诊断至关重要。