Table 1

Characteristics, clinical presentation, prone positioning details and outcome

		Patient 1	Patient 2
Patient characteristics	Age (years)	55	58
	Sex	M	M
	Ethnicity	Caribbean	Asian British
	BMI (kg/m²)	22	29
	Diabetes?	T1DM, (HBA1C 11.8%)	T2DM, (HBA1C 6.0%)
	Days on ICU	15	32
	Hours in prone position (total)	22	101
Abduction of affected arm (hours)	Total	19	55
	Maximum continuous	10	11
	Mean continuous	9.5	6.86
Abduction of unaffected arm (hours)	Total	3	46
	Maximum continuous	3	10
	Mean continuous	3	5.75
Clinical features	Clinical presentation	Complete flaccid paralysis of all muscles in left upper limb. Absent reflexes. Severe sensory loss distal to shoulder.	Left wrist drop, bilateral intrinsic hand weakness.
	EMG	Severe acute denervation in left upper limb (first dorsal interosseous, extensor digitorum communis, extensor indicis, brachioradialis, triceps, biceps and deltoid) but normal EMG in pectoralis major and supra/infraspinatus. Sensory action potentials absent in left upper limb (median, ulnar, radial and medial antebrachial cutaneous) and left median and ulnar motor potentials small.	Severe acute denervation in left triceps, extensor digitorum and pronator quadratus. Mild EMG abnormalities in many other muscles suggesting critical illness neuromyopathy. Sensory potential absent from left (normal on the right) radial. Sensory and motor potentials absent from the median and ulnar nerves bilaterally.
	MRI c-spine and brachial plexus	Normal	Not done
Outcome (6 months)	MMN-RODS	32	15
Outcome (6 months)	mRS	2	3

BMI, body mass index; EMG, electromyogram; ICU, intensive care unit; MMN RODS, Multifocal Motor Neuropathy Rasch-built Overall Disability Scale (initially developed for use in multifocal motor neuropathy, we use this due to its ability to assess functional limitation in asymmetric upper limb weakness; 50 is normal while 0 means inability to perform any of 25 common activities); mRS, Modified Rankin Scale.