ICU sedation, delirium & recovery
Ultrasound assessment of muscle atrophy and its association with functional outcomes in critically ill patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors' conclusion
Ultrasound detects early, rapid muscle wasting and concurrent quality degradation in critically ill adults.
Study context
- Population
- Critically ill adults in the ICU assessed by lower-limb muscle ultrasound69 studies
- Outcome
- Muscle atrophy by ultrasound
- Follow-up
- Day 7 of ICU admission
Methodological detailsVery low certainty of evidence due to heterogeneity and methodological limitations
- Very low certainty of evidence due to heterogeneity and methodological limitations
Pooled result
As reported in the abstract
Rectus femoris cross-sectional area decline
15.76%
95% CI - 18.06 to - 13.47, I2 = 88.72%
Quadriceps muscle thickness reduction
11.00%
95%CI - 14.38 to - 7.62, I2 = 90.63%
Further pooled results
| Outcome | Mean difference (%) (95% CI) |
|---|---|
| Day 1-3 rectus femoris cross-sectional area change, ICU-acquired weakness vs noneI2 = 0% · after excluding an outlier · limited data | - 3.58 (- 5.95 to - 1.22) |
Echointensity and pennation angle
- Echointensity tended to increase, pennation angle decreased
Original publication
Ultrasound assessment of muscle atrophy and its association with functional outcomes in critically ill patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Crit Care. Published 31 March 2026. doi:10.
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