{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,29]],"date-time":"2026-10-29T17:06:08Z","timestamp":1793293568450,"version":"4.5.0"},"reference-count":52,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"8","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,8,8]],"date-time":"2022-08-08T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1659916800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Medicina"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background and Objectives: Intensive care unit-acquired weakness (ICU-AW) is one of the most frequent neuromuscular complications in critically ill patients. We conducted a global survey to evaluate the current practices of diagnostics, treatment and prevention in patients with ICU-AW. Materials and Methods: A pre-survey was created with international experts. After revision, the final survey was endorsed by the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine (ESICM) using the online platform SurveyMonkey\u00ae. In 27 items, we addressed strategies of diagnostics, therapy and prevention. An invitation link was sent by email to all ESICM members. Furthermore, the survey was available on the ESICM homepage. Results: A total of 154 healthcare professionals from 39 countries participated in the survey. An ICU-AW screening protocol was used by 20% (28\/140) of participants. Forty-four percent (62\/141) of all participants reported performing routine screening for ICU-AW, using clinical examination as the method of choice (124\/141, 87.9%). Almost 63% (84\/134) of the participants reported using current treatment strategies for patients with ICU-AW. The use of treatment and prevention strategies differed between intensivists and non-intensivists regarding the reduction in sedatives (80.0% vs. 52.6%, p = 0.002), neuromuscular blocking agents (76.4% vs. 50%, p = 0.004), corticosteroids (69.1% vs. 37.2%, p &lt; 0.001) and glycemic control regimes (50.9% vs. 23.1%, p = 0.002). Mobilization and physical activity are the most frequently reported treatment strategies for ICU-AW (111\/134, 82.9%). The availability of physiotherapists (92\/134, 68.7%) and the lack of knowledge about ICU-AW within the medical team (83\/134, 61.9%) were the main obstacles to the implementation of the strategies. The necessity to develop guidelines for the screening, diagnosing, treatment and prevention of ICU-AW was recognized by 95% (127\/133) of participants. Conclusions: A great heterogeneity regarding diagnostics, treatment and prevention of ICU-AW was reported internationally. Comprehensive guidelines with evidence-based recommendations for ICU-AW management are needed.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/medicina58081068","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,8,8]],"date-time":"2022-08-08T22:33:11Z","timestamp":1659997991000},"page":"1068","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":13,"title":["A Global Survey on Diagnostic, Therapeutic and Preventive Strategies in Intensive Care Unit\u2014Acquired Weakness"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"58","author":[{"given":"Felix","family":"Klawitter","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, University Medical Center Rostock, 18057 Rostock, Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Marie-Christine","family":"Oppitz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, University Medical Center Rostock, 18057 Rostock, Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0191-9775","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Nicolai","family":"Goettel","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Anesthesiology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA"},{"name":"Department of Clinical Research, University of Basel, 4031 Basel, Switzerland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5427-1648","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mette M.","family":"Berger","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Service of Adult Intensive Care, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Carol","family":"Hodgson","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Research Centre, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia"},{"name":"Department of Intensive Care and Hyperbaric Medicine, The Alfred, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Steffen","family":"Weber-Carstens","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Anesthesiology and Operative Intensive Care Medicine (CCM\/CVK), Charit\u00e9\u2014Universit\u00e4tsmedizin Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13357 Berlin, Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6683-9584","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Stefan J.","family":"Schaller","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Anesthesiology and Operative Intensive Care Medicine (CVK\/CCM), Charit\u00e9\u2014Universit\u00e4tsmedizin Berlin, 10117 Berlin, Germany"},{"name":"Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, 81675 Munich, Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7866-9781","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Johannes","family":"Ehler","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, University Medical Center Rostock, 18057 Rostock, Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,8,8]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"261","DOI":"10.1164\/rccm.200712-1829OC","article-title":"Acquired Weakness, Handgrip Strength, and Mortality in Critically Ill Patients","volume":"178","author":"Ali","year":"2008","journal-title":"Am. 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