Effects of Early Stepping Verticalization With or Without FES Compared to Conventional Physiotherapy on the Occurrence of Critical Illness Polyneuropathy in Patients Affected by Acquired Brain Injury: a Retrospective Study

Background: Intensive Care Unit (ICU) survivors often develop an acquired weakness due to a Critical Illness Polyneuropathy (CIP). Early mobilization in ICU, by reducing the bed rest and decreasing the oxidative stress, was shown to represent a valid preventive option.

Purpose: To evaluate whether ICU sessions of stepping verticalization associated with Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) of the lower limbs are able to reduce the occurrence of CIP in Acquired Brain Injured (ABI) patients.

Methods: all the ABI patients admitted in our Neurorehabilitation Unit from our ICU were retrospectively evaluated. Patients affected by previous peripheral neuropathy, diabetes, cancer, alcoholism, viral hepatitis, AIDS and autoimmune diseases were excluded. They were divided into 3 groups according to the rehabilitation strategy received in ICU: group 1 received conventional physiotherapy + stepping verticalization sessions with Erigo® (Hocoma, Switzerland); group 2 received conventional physiotherapy + stepping verticalization sessions with FES using ErigoPro®; group 3 received only conventional physiotherapy. As for internal protocol, all patients started rehabilitation in the first week from the ABI and performed 60 minutes/day of rehabilitation, 5 days/week. Primary outcome was the evidence of CIP at Neurorehabilitation admission (=ICU discharge), according to neurophysiological criteria. Secondary outcomes were the strength impairment at Neurorehabilitation discharge, measured by the total Motricity Index score and the Functional Ambulation Classification (FAC) score, assessing quality of gait.