Given the heightened inflammatory status among COVID-19 critically ill patients, we hypothesized that the rate of skeletal muscle loss is accelerated in this population, and this loss is even more pronounce than the general critically ill patients. We further hypothesized that the increased muscle loss will lead to worse functional outcome (lower muscle strength) in COVID-19 critically ill patients compared with age- and sex-matched non-COVID-19 critically ill patients, as it has been shown that quadriceps thickness is strongly correlated with functional status at ICU discharge. Furthermore, a recent systematic review and meta-analysis in survivors of coronavirus (severe acute respiratory syndrome, SARS or Middle-east respiratory syndrome, MERS, or COVID-19) also demonstrated reduced exercise capacity and quality of life at 6 months after hospitalization or ICU admission
Muscle loss (ultrasound quadricep muscle) and muscle strength (handgrip and knee extension strength) will be compared between COVID-19 and non COVID-19 critically ill patients.