• Linda van Wagenberg, Esther Witteveen, Luuk Wieske, and Janneke Horn.
• Department of Intensive Care, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
• J Intensive Care Med. 2020 Mar 1; 35 (3): 293-296.

BackgroundIntensive care unit-acquired weakness (ICU-AW) is a common complication of critical illness and is associated with increased mortality, longer mechanical ventilation and longer hospital stay. Little is known about the causes of mortality in patients with ICU-AW. In this study, we aimed to give an overview of the causes of death in a population diagnosed with ICU-AW during hospital admission.MethodsData from a prospective cohort study in the mixed medical-surgical ICU of the Academic Medical Center in Amsterdam were used. Patients were included when mechanically ventilated for more than 48 hours. Intensive care unit-acquired weakness was defined as a mean medical research council score <4. Baseline data and data on the time of death were collected.ResultsFifty-three patients were included. Irreversible shock with multiple organ failure (MOF) was the most common cause of death (28/53 of patients; 26 patients with septic shock and 2 patients with hypovolemic shock). Most common site of sepsis was abdominal (38.5%) and pulmonary (19.2%). On admission to the ICU, 53% had a do-not-resuscitate code. In 74% of the patients, further treatment limitations were implemented during their ICU stay.ConclusionIn this cohort of patients with ICU-AW, most patients died of irreversible shock with MOF, caused by sepsis.

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