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NCT Number: NCT07329530

Metabolic and Muscle Profile in ICU Survivors

More and more patients survive a critical illness requiring admission to the intensive care unit, but they may be left with sequelae that are independent of the initial pathology. From a physical standpoint, the most visible complication is intensive care unit-acquired muscle weakness. A major factor in the development and persistence of muscle dysfunction appears to be the inflammatory response and the neuroendocrine stress response triggered by the initial critical insult. Persistence of inflammation beyond ICU discharge has been demonstrated in several studies. In response to inflammation, there is also increased oxidative stress associated with mitochondrial dysfunction.

The objectives of the present study are therefore:

to determine whether the broad inflammatory and metabolic profile of patients who have survived an ICU stay can predict the trajectory of muscle performance over the three months following ICU discharge; to compare this profile and muscle performance with those of non-critically ill surgical patients who have undergone a standardized inflammatory stress of lower intensity than that associated with critical illness; to investigate mitochondrial function in skeletal striated muscle after ICU stay, in light of the inflammatory and metabolic profile; to assess whether abnormalities in mitochondrial function also affect tissues other than skeletal muscle, in particular circulating blood mononuclear cells.

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Key information

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

CHU Sart Tilman

Liège, 4000, Belgium

Location status: Recruiting

Location contact

Bernard Lambermont, PhD

SUB_INVESTIGATOR

Damien Wertz, MD

SUB_INVESTIGATOR

Grégory Minguet, PhD

SUB_INVESTIGATOR

Gwaelle Ducomble

CONTACT

[email protected]

003243237495

Quentin Maloir, MD

SUB_INVESTIGATOR

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Critical illness:
  • anticipated ICU stay >= 7 days
  • Major abdominal surgery
  • elective surgery

Exclusion criteria

  • Active malignancy
  • Inherited metabolic disorder
  • Known muscle disease
  • Pregnancy
  • Patient refusal
  • Patient unable to express informed consent (dementia, confusion)
  • Known coagulation disorder (cirrhosis, genetic coagulopathy) or thrombocytopenia < 100,000/mm³ on the day of biopsy, anemia with hemoglobin < 9 g/dL on the day of biopsy, or treatment with anticoagulant agents (contraindication to muscle biopsies only)
  • Pacemaker or other implanted electronic device (contraindication to bioelectrical impedance analysis only)
  • Oxygen therapy (contraindication to indirect calorimetry during spontaneous ventilation)

Treatment and study plan

Inflammation markers

Diagnostic Test

measurement of CRP, cytokines, MPO, oxidative stress during the first 7 days after ICU admission, between 1 and 7 days after ICU discharge and 3 months after ICU discharge (or the day after surgery and 3 months after hospital discharge)

Blood nucleosomes

Diagnostic Test

measurement of blood nucleosomes between 1 and 7 days after ICU discharge and 3 months after ICU discharge (or the day after surgery and 3 months after hospital discharge)

Erythrocyte membrane fatty acid content

Diagnostic Test

assessment of Erythrocyte membrane fatty acid content between 1 and 7 days after ICU discharge and 3 months after ICU discharge (or the day after surgery and 3 months after hospital discharge)

measurement of myokines

Diagnostic Test

measurement of myokines between 1 and 7 days after ICU discharge and 3 months after ICU discharge (or the day after surgery and 3 months after hospital discharge)

Resting energy expendure

Diagnostic Test

assessment of REE by indirect caloriometry during the first 7 days after ICU admission, between 1 and 7 days after ICU discharge and 3 months after ICU discharge (or the day after surgery and 3 months after hospital discharge)

body composition

Diagnostic Test

assessment of body composition by BIA during the first 7 days after ICU admission, between 1 and 7 days after ICU discharge and 3 months after ICU discharge (or the day after surgery and 3 months after hospital discharge)

Omics

Diagnostic Test

Blood metabolic, lipidomic, proteomic study during the first 7 days after ICU admission (or the day after surgery)

Monocyte profile

Diagnostic Test

Blood leukocyte and monocyte profiles and transcriptomic analysis between 1 and 7 days after ICU discharge and 3 months after ICU discharge (or the day after surgery and 3 months after hospital discharge)

Primary outcomes

  1. Quadriceps strength

    Time frame: between 1 and 7 days after ICU discharge and 3 months after ICU discharge in the critically ill patients, or the day after the surgery and 3 months after the surgery in surgical patients

    Quadriceps strength in Newton, measured using a handheld dynamometer (MicroFet)

  2. Handgrip strength

    Time frame: between 1 and 7 days after ICU discharge and 3 months after ICU discharge in the critically ill patients, or the day after the surgery and 3 months after the surgery in surgical patients

    Hangrip strength in kg, measured young an handheld dynamometer (Jamar)

  3. Muscle mass

    Time frame: between 1 and 7 days after ICU discharge and 3 months after ICU discharge in the critically ill patients, or the day after the surgery and 3 months after the surgery in surgical patients

    Quadriceps muscle thickness assessed by ultrasound

  4. Muscle mass

    Time frame: between 1 and 7 days after ICU discharge and 3 months after ICU discharge in the critically ill patients, or the day after the surgery and 3 months after the surgery in surgical patients

    Muscle mass assessed using bioelectrical impedance analysis

  5. Muscle mitochondrial function

    Time frame: between 1 and 7 days after ICU discharge and 3 months after ICU discharge in the critically ill patients, or perioperatively and 3 months after the surgery in surgical patients

    Oxygraphy performed on a muscle sample

  6. Muscle function

    Time frame: between 1 and 7 days after ICU discharge and 3 months after ICU discharge in the critically ill patients, or perioperatively and 3 months after the surgery in surgical patients

    Transcriptomic analysis in muscle sample (muscle biopsy)

  7. Physical function

    Time frame: between 1 and 7 days after ICU discharge and 3 months after ICU discharge (or the day after surgery and 3 months after hospital discharge)

    2-minute walking test

Other outcomes

  1. Health-related Quality of life

    Time frame: 3 months after ICU discharge in the critically ill patients, or 3 months after the surgery in surgical patients

    EQ-5D-3L questionnaire (3-level version of the EuroQOL questionnaire, including EQ-5D descriptive system with higher score indicating worst quality of life and the EQ visual analogue scale ranging from 0 to 100, with higher score indicating best quality of life)

  2. Autonomy for ADL

    Time frame: 3 months after ICU discharge in the critically ill patients, or 3 months after the surgery in surgical patients

    Barthel index, ranging from 0 to 100, with higher score indicating full independency for activities of daily living

  3. Health-related quality of life

    Time frame: 3 months after ICU discharge in the critically ill patients, or 3 months after the surgery in surgical patients

    SARQOL questionnaire (Sarcopenia and Quality Of Life questionnaire) - short form, ranging from 0 to 100, with higher score indicating best quality of life

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Anne-Françoise Rousseau

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Characterisation of the Inflammatory, Metabolic, and Mitochondrial Profiles in the Context of Post-Intensive Care Muscle Dysfunction

Acronym: IM3SI

Important dates

Study start
2025
Primary completion
2028
Study completion
2029
First posted
Jan 9, 2026
Registry last updated
Jan 12, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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