- Section 1 ICU organization and management
- Section 2 Pharmacotherapeutics
- Section 3 Resuscitation
- Section 4 The respiratory system
- Section 5 The cardiovascular system
- Section 6 The gastrointestinal system
- Section 7 Nutrition
- Section 8 The renal system
- Section 9 The neurological system
- Part 9.1 Anatomy and physiology
- Part 9.2 Neurological monitoring
- Part 9.3 Sleep disturbance
- Part 9.4 Agitation, confusion, and delirium
- Part 9.5 The unconscious patient
- Part 9.6 Seizures
- Part 9.7 Intracranial hypertension
- Part 9.8 Stroke
- Part 9.9 Non-traumatic subarachnoid haemorrhage
- Part 9.10 Meningitis and encephalitis
- Part 9.11 Non-traumatic spinal injury
- Part 9.12 Neuromuscular syndromes
- Chapter 243 Epidemiology, diagnosis, and assessment of neuromuscular syndromes
- Chapter 244 Diagnosis, assessment, and management of myasthenia gravis and paramyasthenic syndromes
- Chapter 245 Diagnosis, assessment, and management of tetanus, rabies, and botulism
- Chapter 246 Diagnosis, assessment, and management of Guillain–Barré syndrome
- Chapter 247 Diagnosis, assessment, and management of hyperthermic crises
- Chapter 248 Diagnosis, assessment, and management of ICU-acquired weakness
- Section 10 The metabolic and endocrine systems
- Section 11 The haematological system
- Section 12 The skin and connective tissue
- Section 13 Infection
- Section 14 Inflammation
- Section 15 Poisoning
- Section 16 Trauma
- Section 17 Physical disorders
- Section 18 Pain and sedation
- Section 19 General surgical and obstetric intensive care
- Section 20 Specialized intensive care
- Section 21 Recovery from critical illness
- Section 22 End-of-life care
(p. 1154) Epidemiology, diagnosis, and assessment of neuromuscular syndromes
- Chapter:
- (p. 1154) Epidemiology, diagnosis, and assessment of neuromuscular syndromes
- Author(s):
David Orlikowski
and Tarek Sharshar
- DOI:
- 10.1093/med/9780199600830.003.0243
Admission to ICU with severe limb weakness, or the occurrence of a respiratory or motor deficit, and failure to wean from mechanical ventilation while in the intensive care unit are common presentations of a neuromuscular disease. Neuromuscular diseases include neuronopathies, neuropathies, myasthenic syndromes, and myopathies. An accurate neurological examination and complementary investigations are necessary for both diagnosis and for evaluating the severity of the disease. Assessment of respiratory muscle function is a key step in deciding the need for mechanical ventilation and subsequently its weaning. Hypercapnia often indicates an impending respiratory arrest, but normocapnia, which can be seen in a patient with severe reduction in vital capacity is not reassuring. Hypoxaemia can be due to hypercapnia, pulmonary injury (atelectasis or pneumonia), or pulmonary embolism. Cardiac evaluation is important as cardiomyopathies are frequent in myopathies.
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- Section 1 ICU organization and management
- Section 2 Pharmacotherapeutics
- Section 3 Resuscitation
- Section 4 The respiratory system
- Section 5 The cardiovascular system
- Section 6 The gastrointestinal system
- Section 7 Nutrition
- Section 8 The renal system
- Section 9 The neurological system
- Part 9.1 Anatomy and physiology
- Part 9.2 Neurological monitoring
- Part 9.3 Sleep disturbance
- Part 9.4 Agitation, confusion, and delirium
- Part 9.5 The unconscious patient
- Part 9.6 Seizures
- Part 9.7 Intracranial hypertension
- Part 9.8 Stroke
- Part 9.9 Non-traumatic subarachnoid haemorrhage
- Part 9.10 Meningitis and encephalitis
- Part 9.11 Non-traumatic spinal injury
- Part 9.12 Neuromuscular syndromes
- Chapter 243 Epidemiology, diagnosis, and assessment of neuromuscular syndromes
- Chapter 244 Diagnosis, assessment, and management of myasthenia gravis and paramyasthenic syndromes
- Chapter 245 Diagnosis, assessment, and management of tetanus, rabies, and botulism
- Chapter 246 Diagnosis, assessment, and management of Guillain–Barré syndrome
- Chapter 247 Diagnosis, assessment, and management of hyperthermic crises
- Chapter 248 Diagnosis, assessment, and management of ICU-acquired weakness
- Section 10 The metabolic and endocrine systems
- Section 11 The haematological system
- Section 12 The skin and connective tissue
- Section 13 Infection
- Section 14 Inflammation
- Section 15 Poisoning
- Section 16 Trauma
- Section 17 Physical disorders
- Section 18 Pain and sedation
- Section 19 General surgical and obstetric intensive care
- Section 20 Specialized intensive care
- Section 21 Recovery from critical illness
- Section 22 End-of-life care