Ketone body supplementation as a new therapy for ICU-acquired weakness

Prolonged critically ill patients frequently develop muscle weakness during their stay in the intensive care unit (ICU). This debilitating condition complicates recovery, is associated with increased mortality and reduces quality-of-life after ICU discharge. Although this ICU-acquired weakness is partially related to immobility, it is mostly caused by the critically ill condition of the patient. Recently, we have shown in critically ill mice that ketone body supplementation protected against muscle weakness. This robust observation holds great therapeutic promise and has led to collaboration with industry partners. With this collaboration we aim to translate our findings from critically ill mice to critically ill human patients in order to improve their survival and quality-of-life, both in ICU as after hospital discharge.

Keywords:critical illness, muscle weakness

Disciplines:Surgical intensive care, Medical intensive care