USG evaluatıon of COVID-19 Related Muscle Mass Change in the ICU

Sarcopenia (muscle weakness) is one of the geriatric syndromes that increases in frequency with age and is characterized by a decrease in muscle mass, strength and performance. Sarcopenia that occurs with aging is called primary sarcopenia, but sarcopenia can also occur due to secondary causes such as malnutrition, chronic diseases and immobility. One of the most important risk factors is advanced age. The prevalence of sarcopenia, which has been reported between 5% and 13% in a decade, can reach up to 50% over the age of 80. Sarcopenia is an important health problem that can cause loss of mobility, risk of functional dependence, risk of falling, increase in hospital stay, and consequently increase in morbidity and mortality, especially in elderly patients.

In order to be able to say sarcopenia, the investigators need to show that there is a decrease in muscle mass and, in addition, muscle strength and/or performance. Bio-electrical impedance analysis, anthropometric measurements or radiological measurements can be used among the most commonly used methods when evaluating muscle mass. However, there is no single gold standard measurement. Cross-sectional muscle area measurements, lean mass measurements and calf circumference measurements are the most commonly used muscle mass determination methods.

Ultrasonographic measurement of the rectus femoris muscle is a muscle mass measurement technique that has been used frequently recently. The most important measurement method used as a standard for muscle strength measurement is hand grip strength. The hand grip strength values reported for weakness acquired in the intensive care unit are at lower limits. <11 kg in male patients and <7 kg in female patients are considered significant limits for ICU-AW (intensive care unit-aquire weakness). However, there are some difficulties in evaluating muscle strength in intensive care patients. Most importantly, most of the patients are bedridden, immobile, receiving ventilation support, unable to cooperate, and who will not be conscious because they are under anesthesia. Apart from this, there are some measurement methods by sending magnetic or electrophysiological stimuli to the peripheral nerves in intensive care patients for muscle strength measurement, but they are mostly applied for clinical studies for now, due to the fact that they are invasive measurement methods and there are not enough equipped centers to apply them. In conclusion, sufficient number of studies examining this issue are required to reach a consensus on how to diagnose sarcopenia in intensive care patients.

In today's conditions, patients with a diagnosis of COVID-19 pneumonia are followed in the majority of intensive care units. In the study, patients with a diagnosis of COVID-19 followed in the intensive care unit will be evaluated. It is aimed to monitor, detect and investigate the factors affecting the muscle weakness of the disease, which the investigatorshave just met during the pandemic the investigators are in, and which causes different systemic involvement. There is no previous study on this subject in the literature.