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Original Article
- Neurology
- Muscle Growth and Anabolism in Intensive Care Survivors (GAINS) trial: a pilot randomised controlled trial
- Matthew H Anstey, Rashmi Rauniyar, Ethan Fitzclarence, Natalie Tran, Emma Osnain, Bianca Mammana, Angela Jacques, Robert N Palmer, Andrew Chapman, Bradley Wibrow
- Acute Crit Care. 2022;37(3):295-302. Published online June 27, 2022
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.4266/acc.2021.01767
- 17,865 View
- 450 Download
- 5 Web of Science
- 4 Crossref
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Abstract
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Supplementary Material - Background
To explore the feasibility, safety, and potential benefits of administration of the anabolic steroid nandrolone to patients in the recovery phase from critical illness weakness.
Methods
In this phase II, double blind, randomized, controlled trial, adult critically ill patients admitted to one of two tertiary Intensive Care Units in Western Australia for longer than 7 days with significant weakness were enrolled. Patients received nandrolone (200 mg males, 100 mg females) intramuscularly or placebo weekly for up to 3 weeks in addition to standard care. The primary outcome measures were improvement in grip strength, Medical Research Council muscle strength sum score, and functional activity level (Chelsea critical care assessment tool [CPAx]).
Results
A total of 22 patients was enrolled between September 2017 and May 2019. No significant adverse events were detected. Median grip strength change was non-significantly greater in the nandrolone group (8.5 vs. 13.0, P=0.185), while hospital length of stay (36 vs. 26 days, P=0.023) and duration of mechanical ventilation (377 vs. 168, P=0.032) were lower. The discharge CPAx and intensive care unit mobility scores were higher in the nandrolone group, although there was no difference in the change in CPAx score (17.0 vs. 17.7, P=0.865). There were no changes in ultrasound-detected muscle thickness between the two groups.
Conclusions
In patients with prolonged critical illness, nandrolone appears to be safe. However, a larger study, potentially combined with resistance exercise, is needed to definitively address the potential benefits of nandrolone. -
Citations
Citations to this article as recorded by
- Properties of testosterone transdermal gel in restoring serum testosterone levels in critically ill patients: the TestICU-1 pilot study
Claire Dupuis, Konstantinos Bachoumas, Charlotte Oris, Sasha Eisenberg, Bruno Pereira, Yves Boirie, Nicolas Farigon, Vincent Sapin, Lise Bernard, Ruddy Richard, Frédéric Costes, Mireille Adda, Bertrand Souweine
Journal of Critical Care.2026; 92: 155339. CrossRef - High vs low protein intake in chronic critical illness: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Sílvia Castro, A. Tomé, C. Granja, A. Macedo, A. Binnie
Clinical Nutrition ESPEN.2025; 65: 249. CrossRef - Muscle growth and anabolism in intensive care survivors (GAINS 2.0): Protocol for a multi-centre randomised; placebo controlled clinical trial of nandrolone in deconditioned adults recovering from critical illness
Matthew Anstey, Ed Litton, Maryam Habibi, Lisa Van der Lee, Robert Palmer, Natalie Tran, Bianca Mammana, Stacey Scheepers, Annamaria Palermo, Xavier Fiorilla, Bhaumik Mevavala, Adrian Regli, Angela Jacques, Bradley Wibrow, Francesco Sessa
PLOS ONE.2025; 20(2): e0315170. CrossRef - Effects of growth hormone and anabolic steroids, in critically ill patients admitted to the intensive care unit: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Chris G. H. Veenker, Beynur B. Redzhebov, Sanne E. Hoeks, Lucas T. van Eijk, Michel M. R. F. Struys, Olivier de Hon, Nico L. U. van Meeteren, Gertrude J. Nieuwenhuijs-Moeke
Scientific Reports.2025;[Epub] CrossRef
- Properties of testosterone transdermal gel in restoring serum testosterone levels in critically ill patients: the TestICU-1 pilot study
Letter to the Editor
- Pulmonary
- Vitamin C and corticosteroids in viral pneumonia
- Matthew Harry Anstey, Jacky Luu, Erina Myers, Robert N Palmer, Bradley Wibrow, Kwok M Ho
- Acute Crit Care. 2021;36(2):169-171. Published online March 10, 2021
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.4266/acc.2020.01081
- 9,602 View
- 141 Download
- 2 Web of Science
- 1 Crossref
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