Retrospective Observation of BWS Use in Improving Walking Ability in Patients with Critical Illness Myopathy

Research Objectives: To investigate the effect of use of Body-Weight support (BWS) on walking outcomes for patients with critical illness myopathy.

Design: Retrospective

Setting: Inpatient rehabilitation hospital

Participants: Consecutive Sample discharged from inpatient rehab hospital from 1/1/2023 until achieved equal sample size in each group (3 groups) for total N of 42 patients. Power analysis was calculated for total sample size of 42 patients by ANOVA: Fixed effects test with effect size of 0.50275 (Chohen’s d). Inclusion: patients with Critical Illness Myopathy (ICD-10 CM=G72.80) and Medical Research Council Scale < 48. Exclusion: any Central or Peripheral Neurological diagnosis that would explain weakness other than CIM; amputations, non-weight bearing limbs or other Musculo-skeletal reason that resulted in non-participation in standing/ walking activities as well as those that discharged back to acute hospital.

Interventions: Comparing three groups of patients. No BWS, low usage group (those that used BWS less than 60 minutes per week), and a high usage group (those that used BWS greater than 60 minutes per week).

Main Outcome Measures: 6 Minute Walk Tand 10 Meter Walk Test at admission and discharge.

Results: Patients in the high usage group improved their 6 Minute Walk Test score by 126.8ft (SE= 73.9, p=0.0945) and their gait speed by 0.1m/s (SE=0.1, p=0.3271) relative to those that did not use BWS where as the low usage group improved 6 Minute Walk Test score by only 7.5ft (SE=76.6, p=0.9225) and 10 Meter Walk Test of -0.1m/s (SE=0.1, p=0.2915). Patients that utilize BWS greater > 60 min per week have predicted probability of 79% (SE=0.68-0.90), of achieving meaningful change in walking distance as seen with MCID of 177ft improvement in 6 Minute Walk Test, compared to those without any BWS use 71% (SE=0.60-0.82).

Conclusions: Patients with Critical Illness Myopathy improved their walking ability greater with use of Body-Weight Support devices when used for greater than 60 min per week than those that used it less or not at all.

Author(s) Disclosures: I do not have any disclosures