Active clinical trials for "Asthenia"

This study is aimed at providing an translation and cross-cultural adaptation of Chelsea Critical Care Physical Assesment Tool (CPAx) and tested its reliability and validity.

This study seeks to define the morbidity of critical care polyneuropathy and to confirm that this diagnosis is, in fact, independently associated with increased mortality. Secondary information regarding the reasons for ICU readmission in patients with weakness may help in formulating cogent discharge strategies for these patients. Measurement of weakness using handgrip strength may provide a useful surrogate marker for weakness that may be more easily and uniformly applied. Primary hypothesis: The development of ICU-associated weakness is independently associated with excess attributable mortality. Secondary hypothesis: The development of ICU-associated weakness is associated with an increased need for ICU readmission. Readmission to the ICU will be a result of the development of recurrent respiratory failure or insufficiency Handgrip strength testing will detect ICU-associated weakness with an equivalent sensitivity as the comprehensive bedside muscle strength exam.

Observational study.

When choosing outcomes to assess rehabilitation's effect or progress, it is essential to consider the constructs being measured and their value to the patient and the psychometric properties. Choosing an outcome that reflects all aspects of International Classification levels of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) is challenging, especially in heterogeneous groups. However, it is important to know the psychometric properties as this gives important knowledge on how to interpret results and, consequently, how this can inform the patient's care. The Short Musculoskeletal Function Assessment (SMFA) questionnaire can reflect differences in patients' functional status with a broad range of disorders, like for elderly citizens undergoing municipality-based rehabilitation. Nevertheless, since there is no golden standard to measure rehabilitation outcomes, construct validity needs to be established to investigate how scores of SMFA can be related to measures on all levels of ICF. Therefore, this study has three main objectives: To investigate how scores of the SMFA questionnaire are related to measures on different ICF levels To describe the characteristics of older citizens starting municipality-based rehabilitation on all ICF levels To investigate predictor variables of upper- and lower extremity strength

Although the Covid-19 infection mainly manifests itself with respiratory symptoms, as early as two months after the onset of the pandemic, the presence of other symptoms, including muscle ones, became clear. With the disappearance of the emergency and the advancement of knowledge, medium- and long-term effects have been reported at the level of different organs and systems. Many patients, after several months from infection, report intolerance to exercise and many suffer from pain and muscle weakness. No studies has been carried out on the muscular consequences of the infection and on their possible contribution to intolerance to exercise. Since skeletal muscle possesses the ACE2 receptor (Angiotensin converting enzyme 2) to which SARS-Cov-2 binds, it follows that the involvement of the skeletal muscle could be due not only to the secondary effects of the infection (e.g. reduced oxygen supply from persistent lung disease, perfusion defects from cardiovascular defects and vascular damage), but also to the direct action of virus (SARS-Cov-2 myositis). The general purpose of the research is to quantify the spread of symptoms and signs of muscle weakness and pain among the patient population welcomed at the Cardiorespiratory Rehabilitation Department of the Alexandria Hospital which have been suffering from SARS-CoV-2, being discharged and healed for more than two months, and define the possible contribution of muscular modifications to exercise intolerance.

Little is known about nutritional Parameters that potentially influence the course of intensive-care unit acquired weakness (ICU - AW). The investigators aim to elucidate the nutritional profiles in blood, urine and muscle in respective patients at risk.

The objective is to diagnose earlier and more precisely the occurrence of a weakness neuromuscular syndrome at the end of intensive care, or within 28 days if the stay is longer than 28 days. The amyotrophy has been shown to be proportional to muscle strength in healthy subjects. The amyotrophy can be reliably evaluated by measuring the cross-sectional area of the right femoral muscle. The hypothesis is that amyotrophy measured by muscle ultrasound can allow an early and reliable diagnosis of neuromuscular weakness syndrome (NMWS), even though the measurement of the MRC score (the Gold Standard), has shown its limitations in intensive care in terms of reliability and delayed diagnosis. Moreover, this syndrome is associated with a loss of functionality and a deterioration of long-term quality of life. One of the objectives is thus to determine if the muscular ultrasound allows a prediction of the occurrence of these alterations far from the intensive care. Early rehabilitation has shown a benefit on mortality, duration of stay, mechanical ventilation and on functional alteration after intensive care. This is why an earlier and more precise means of diagnostic of this pathology is searched. The target population is therefore patients from 18 to 80 years hospitalized in intensive care for prolonged stay (> 5 days), and prolonged ventilation (> 48H).

ICU-associated weakness is a common experience for people following a critical illness. It is associated with important patient and system-relevant outcomes. Diagnosing ICU-associated weakness can be challenging because making the diagnosis relies on volitional participation in strength testing by the patient in a very ill population that is often sedated or restrained. This study proposes to test if bedside ultrasound of tibialis anterior (a non-invasive test that doesn't require active participation by the patient) correlates with clinical whole-body weakness in critically ill patients admitted to an ICU with sepsis.

The diaphragm is the main muscle assisting breathing. This study aims to assess the use of MRI in patients with diaphragmatic weakness and patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) who have hyperinflation. In some patients with COPD, air gets trapped in the lungs and causes them to expand too much; this is called hyperinflation. These patient report severe breathlessness, which may be in part because of their diaphragm. It is known that posture impacts lung function and breathing and the investigators want to assess the effect of posture on the diaphragm. Currently, lung function tests and CT or ultrasound scan are the main tests used to check how the diaphragm works. Recently, at University of Nottingham, an new imaging approach has been developed that uses an upright MRI allowing testing the patients in lying position and seated/standing in the same scanner. This may help researchers test the diaphragm position and shape more accurately and check the effects of posture on the diaphragm. This may help researchers and clinicians better understand the relationship between postural changes in diaphragm position and shape and symptoms. The study will take place at the clinical research MRI centre at Nottingham Medical School, which is next to Queen's Medical Centre. The investigators want to recruit healthy volunteers, patients with diaphragmatic weakness and patients with COPD whose lungs are hyperinflated. The study will last 2 years, and the participants are asked to attend the imaging centre only once, where they will give consent and will be scanned at the same visit, which is expected to take 2 hours to complete. They will be scanned on two scanners: lying and seated/standing in the new upright scanner and lying in a conventional scanner. The investigators will not use any contrast for imaging, i.e. participants will not be injected with a dye and they will breathe air.

The investigators propose to conduct a randomized, control trial of β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate (HMB) supplementation in elderly patients (≥65 years of age) with acute respiratory failure, who are identified at high risk for malnutrition by ICU-specific nutritional risk scores. Patients will receive either 3g of HMB daily, or control, daily until day 28 following randomization (even if discharged).The investigators will measure functional outcomes using standard, validated measures prior and after discharge.