Growth Differentiation Factor 15 in ICU Acquired Muscle Weakness

Intensive care unit -acquired weakness (ICU- AW) is a common consequence linked to a worse outcome as evidenced by prolonged mechanical ventilation, longer ICU stays, greater mortality rates and a lower quality of life for survivors, so early detection and treatment of ICU-AW are critical. However, there is no "gold standard" currently available for assessing and diagnosing ICU-AW. It's crucial to develop diagnostic methods that enable for early detection and risk stratification in all critically ill patients, such as: GDF-15 (growth differentiation factor-15) is thought to be a mediator of muscle atrophy because its level increases in the muscular atrophy As a result, measuring GDF-15 seems promise for diagnosing muscle atrophy.