Nutritional assessment and hand grip strength of candidates for surgery of the gastrointestinal tract

Abstract

BackgroundThe assessment of nutritional status in clinical practice must be done with simple, reliable, low cost and easy performance methods. The power of handshake is recognized as a useful tool to evaluate muscle strength, and therefore, it is suggested that can detect malnutrition.AimTo evaluate the nutritional status by subjective global assessment and power of handshake preoperatively in patients going to gastrointestinal surgeries and to compare the diagnosis obtained by subjective global assessment with traditional anthropometric methods and power of handshake.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted with patients for surgery in the gastrointestinal tract and related organs. Socioeconomic and anthropometric data, applied to subjective global assessment and checked the power of handshake, were collected. The force was obtained by the average of three measurements of the dominant and non-dominant hand and thus compared with reference values ​​of the population by sex and age, for the classification of nutritional risk.ResultsThe sample consisted of 40 patients, 24-83 years, and most women (52.5%) housewives (37,5%) and diagnosed with cancer (45%). According to subjective global assessment, 37.5% were classified as moderately malnourished; 15% were underweight by BMI measurements; 25% had arm circumference at risk for malnutrition (<percentil 5); 60% reported recent weight loss; and 37.5% low clamping force in power of handshake on non-dominant hand (left).ConclusionA significant association was observed for the diagnosis of nutritional subjective assessment with anthropometric methods and strength of the handshake only at the non-dominant limb.

Dietary Protein Intake and Overall Diet Quality are Associated with Handgrip Strength in African American and White Adults

“…However, HS did not appear to be strongly associated with indicators of nutritional risk. These findings differ from those reported in clinical settings where HS can be a sensitive method for the diagnosis of malnutrition ( 3 , 65 ). Yet they are consistent with the results of Springstroh and colleagues who found that HS was weakly associated with nutritional risk in community-dwelling older adults ( 66 ).…”

Effect of Omega-3 Fatty Acid in the Healing Process of Colonic Anastomosis in Rats

“…Initially tested in animal models, these formulas were started to be used in patients previously malnourished that were to be submitted to surgical procedures. Clear benefits were obtained on postoperative recovery, with reduced morbidity rate, length of hospital stay and duration of mechanical ventilation in intensive care units 21 . However, the use of these formulas has spread and studies began to show positive effect also in well-nourished individuals 8 , 15 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 .…”

Can Denture Wearing Increase the Nutritional Status in Pre-Elderly and Elderly Patients?

“…An assessment of the HGS was used to determine muscle strength, which is directly related to one's nutritional condition [13]. Many types of dynamometers can be used to measure muscle strength [18,21].…”

“…Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) is another widely used method comprising questionnaires validated more than 20 years ago to screen the nutritional status and help identify the presence of risk of malnutrition [11,12]. Furthermore, assessment of the Handgrip Strength (HGS) is a simple, reliable, inexpensive, and easy-to-perform method and the results may be more accurate than BMI measurements alone [13].…”