Figure 5

Critical illness myopathy and plasma homeostasis. Normal (≥3 mV) and abnormal (< 3 mV) direct muscle stimulation compound muscle action potentials (dmCMAP), (a) plasma sodium, (b) plasma osmolarity, (c) plasma pH and (d) plasma urea (multiply by factor 0.46 for blood urea nitrogen (BUN) conversion) over the first eight days after ICU admission. Patients with impaired muscle membrane excitability had significantly higher plasma sodium, plasma osmolarity, plasma pH and plasma urea during the first eight days after ICU admission.