MUSCLE UP

Assessment of muscle function in patients, whether in clinical settings or therapeutic trials, has major limitations, being limited to maximal isometric strength alone. The lack of sensitive assessment leads to delays in diagnosis or the abandonment of effective therapies.

The mathematical model developed by the inventors has been integrated into a device for autonomous evaluation of the thumb muscle (a muscle representative of the muscular system). A complete mapping of muscular capacity is established from the movement generated by a motor and the contractions induced by electrical stimulation.

The Muscle UP solution enables muscle function to be assessed at the patient's bedside in just a few minutes. The procedure is fully automated, with no action required of the clinician or patient. Muscle mapping enables an early and sensitive diagnosis of the patient's situation.

The ergometer and evaluation procedures enable us to obtain a complete picture of muscle function. The reproducibility and validity of the extracted indices have been verified in healthy volunteers. Tests on an intensive care patient and a myopath demonstrated the feasibility of the procedure in a clinical context.

Based on the muscle function indices recovered, a diagnosis of deconditioning can be made as soon as the patient enters the intensive care unit, even in an unconscious patient. In the context of clinical trials, Muscle UP indices enable highly sensitive evaluation of the efficacy of innovative therapies.