Which of the following is a characteristic clinical consequence of CIM?

• A. Spasticity with hyperreflexia
• B. Chronic muscle cramps with preserved ventilation
• C. Loss of ability and flaccid weakness and failure to wean from ventilation
• D. Rapid recovery after antibiotics

Answer: (C)

Critical Illness Myopathy produces diffuse, flaccid weakness with reduced reflexes, and most importantly, weakness of the diaphragmatic and other respiratory muscles leads to difficulty or failure to wean from mechanical ventilation. This contrasts with spasticity and hyperreflexia, which indicate central motor involvement rather than a primary muscle problem, and with descriptions focusing on cramps or rapid antibiotic response, which don’t capture the ventilator dependency seen in CIM. So the hallmark clinical consequence is a generalized flaccid weakness that disrupts weaning from ventilation due to respiratory muscle weakness.