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Feasibility and Reliability of Muscle Strength Testing in Critically Ill Children.

ABSTRACT: Diagnosing pediatric intensive care unit-acquired weakness (PICU-AW) is challenging. The Medical Research Council (MRC) score is a widely used screening method for muscle weakness in critically ill adults; however, its utility in critically ill children has not been established. Our objective was to determine the feasibility and interobserver reliability of muscle strength testing using MRC score in critically ill children. A prospective observational substudy of critically ill children aged 1 to 17 years and limited to bed rest during the first 48 hours of PICU admission was evaluated with weekly MRC exams independently performed by two clinical raters. MRC exams were attempted on all 33 participants, but could be completed in only 21 (64%), 9 of who (43%) received at least one exam while in the PICU, and in the remaining 12 (57%), MRC exams could only be completed after PICU discharge. Of the 95 attempted MRC exams, 55 (57%) could not be conducted or completed, most commonly due to patient sedation, and inability to comply due to cognitive ability, pain, or noncooperation. The inter-rater reliability for MRC sum score was excellent (intraclass correlation coefficient: 0.87). However, the inter-rater reliability was only moderate when used to determine PICU-AW (Cohen kappa: 0.48). MRC testing in the PICU was not feasible as an early screening tool for muscle weakness in the majority of critically ill children in this study. Further research is needed to find an appropriate screening tool that is both feasible and predicts clinically relevant outcomes in children, such as function and recovery following critical illness.

SUBMITTER: Siu K

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6513132 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Feasibility and Reliability of Muscle Strength Testing in Critically Ill Children.

Siu Kaitlyn K Al-Harbi Samah S Clark Heather H Thabane Lehana L Cheng Ji J Tarnopolsky Mark M Meaney Brandon B Choong Karen K

Journal of pediatric intensive care 20150828 4

Diagnosing pediatric intensive care unit-acquired weakness (PICU-AW) is challenging. The Medical Research Council (MRC) score is a widely used screening method for muscle weakness in critically ill adults; however, its utility in critically ill children has not been established. Our objective was to determine the feasibility and interobserver reliability of muscle strength testing using MRC score in critically ill children. A prospective observational substudy of critically ill children aged 1 t ...[more]

PMID: 31110873

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Project description:PurposeTo investigate feasibility, reliability and repeatability of perimetry in children.MethodsA prospective, observational study recruiting 154 children aged 5-15 years, without an ophthalmic condition that affects the visual field (controls), identified consecutively between May 2012 and November 2013 from hospital eye clinics. Perimetry was undertaken in a single sitting, with standardised protocols, in a randomised order using the Humphrey static (SITA 24-2 FAST), Goldmann and Octopus kinetic perimeters. Data collected included test duration, subjective experience and test quality (incorporating examiner ratings on comprehension of instructions, fatigue, response to visual and auditory stimuli, concentration and co-operation) to assess feasibility and reliability. Testing was repeated within 6 months to assess repeatability.ResultsOverall feasibility was very high (Goldmann=96.1%, Octopus=89% and Humphrey=100% completed the tests). Examiner rated reliability was 'good' in 125 (81.2%) children for Goldmann, 100 (64.9%) for Octopus and 98 (63.6%) for Humphrey perimetry. Goldmann perimetry was the most reliable method in children under 9 years of age. Reliability improved with increasing age (multinomial logistic regression (Goldmann, Octopus and Humphrey), p<0.001). No significant differences were found for any of the three test strategies when examining initial and follow-up data outputs (Bland-Altman plots, n=43), suggesting good test repeatability, although the sample size may preclude detection of a small learning effect.ConclusionsFeasibility and reliability of formal perimetry in children improves with age. By the age of 9 years, all the strategies used here were highly feasible and reliable. Clinical assessment of the visual field is achievable in children as young as 5 years, and should be considered where visual field loss is suspected. Since Goldmann perimetry is the most effective strategy in children aged 5-8 years and this perimeter is no longer available, further research is required on a suitable alternative for this age group.

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Feasibility and Reliability of Muscle Strength Testing in Critically Ill Children.

Publications

Feasibility and Reliability of Muscle Strength Testing in Critically Ill Children.

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