NCS-CIP & CIM INVESTIGATIONS

SUMMARY

1. Neuroimaging: MRI brain & spinal cord to rule out brainstem & spinal cord lesions.

2. Blood investigations: elevated CK is seen in CIM.

3. LP: for spinal fluid analysis to rule out infective or inflammatory causes, e.g. GBS (normal CSF protein would support CIP instead of GBS), encephalopathies.

4. EEG: to rule out seizure activity.

5. Electrodiagnostic studies: NCS and EMG can help to differentiate CIP from CIM. Can also distinguish other causes such as GBS, MND, MG.

6. Muscle biopsy: to rule out rare conditions such as inflammatory myopathies.

Reference(s)

Lacomis, D., 2021. Neuromuscular weakness related to critical illness. [online] Uptodate.com. Available at: illness polyneuropathy in ICU,caused by reduced sodium permeability. UpToDate.com [Accessed 20 March 2021].
Wilkinson, I., Furmedge, D. and Sinharay, R. (2017). Oxford handbook of clinical medicine. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Get it on Amazon.
Feather, A., Randall, D. and Waterhouse, M. (2020). Kumar And Clark’s Clinical Medicine. 10th ed. S.L.: Elsevier Health Sciences. Get it on Amazon.
Hannaman, R. A., Bullock, L., Hatchell, C. A., & Yoffe, M. (2016). Internal medicine review core curriculum, 2017-2018. CO Springs, CO: MedStudy.
Therapeutic Guidelines. Melbourne: Therapeutic Guidelines Limited. https://www.tg.org.au [Accessed 2021].