218 - Assessing the Relationship between COVID-19 and Critical Illness Myopathy and Polyneuropathy in Inpatient Rehabilitation: A Retrospective Single-Center Study

Objectives: Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Corona Virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), causing the new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), has been correlated with complications among almost all major organ systems. Nervous system symptoms continue to emerge as complications of COVID-19. Critical Illness Polyneuropathy (CIP) and Critical Illness Myopathy (CIM) are overlapping conditions characterized by muscle weakness and neurological dysfunction, often affecting critically ill patients in intensive care units (ICUs). The details of the relationship between COVID-19 and CIP/CIM is still largely unknown.

Design: An IRB approved retrospective, single-center study was conducted. Patients with the diagnosis CIP and/or CIM at Roanoke Memorial Hospital from 01/01/2018-12/31/2019 were included for the pre-COVID cohort. Patients with the diagnosis of CIP and/or CIM at Roanoke Memorial Hospital from 06/01/2020-05/31/2022 were included for the post-COVID cohort. The number of patients admitted to inpatient rehabilitation (IPR) from this cohort was then analyzed. Additional information on age, sex, CBC, CMP, vitamin D, B12, Folate, length of ICU stay, use of ventilator, use of steroids, COVID-19 vaccination status, and medical comorbidities such as DM, neuropathy, infection/sepsis were obtained.

Results: There were 128 patients with the diagnosis of CIP/CIM in the pre-COVID cohort. Of these 128 patients, 26 (20.4%) were admitted to Carilion IPR. These 26 patients with the diagnosis of CIP/CIM made up 3.8% of admissions to IPR. There were 81 patients with the diagnosis of CIP/CIM in the post-COVID cohort. Of these 81 patients, 29 (35.8%) were admitted to Carilion IPR (p=0.013). These 29 patients with the diagnosis of CIP/CIM made up 3.5% of admissions to IPR (p >.0.05).

Conclusions: Our results suggest COVID-19 does not significantly affect the total amount of CIP/CIM cases but correlates with an increased number of CIP/CIM cases that require inpatient rehab.