Relationship between hand grip strength and nutritional assessment methods used of hospitalized patients

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: This study verified the association between hand grip strength and body mass index, subjective global assessment and nutritional risk screening 2002. METHODS: This cross-sectional study calculated the body mass index, measured hand grip strength and administered the subjective global assessment and nutritional risk screening 2002 to 118 patients hospitalized at the University Hospital of the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil. Hand grip strength was compared with the reference values for the Brazilian population according to gender and age. The statistical analyses included the Student's t-test or Mann-Whitney test and multiple linear regression. The results were considered significant when p<0.05. RESULTS: The prevalences of nutritional risk or malnutrition according to body mass index, global subjective assessment, nutritional risk screening 2002 and hand grip strength were 3.5%, 50.9%, 33.9% and 35.6%, respectively. Malnourished individuals according to body mass index had, on average, 11.0kg less hand grip strength than the nourished individuals (p=0.008). There was no association between hand grip strength and the subjective global assessment (malnourished individuals had -2.8kg; p=0.078) and nutritional risk screening 2002 (malnourished individuals had -1.5kg; p=0.352). CONCLUSION: Hand grip strength was associated with body mass index but not with the subjective global assessment or nutritional risk screening 2002.

Malnutrition is associated with dynamic physical performance

“…However, there is debate regarding the relationship between HGS and nutritional status. Some studies have advocated for the added value of HGS in nutritional assessment [33,34], while others, including the current study, provide evidence that HGS may be of limited use as a predictor of nutritional status [35][36][37]. A recent study showed that HGS and knee extension strength (KES) have moderate-to-low agreement, indicating that HGS should not be used to represent overall muscle strength [38].…”

Handgrip strength cutoff values for undernutrition screening at hospital admission

“…[52][53][54] Nevertheless, some differences related to study design may explain these discrepancies. Garcia et al 52 studied the association between HGS and nutrition status on a smaller sample (n = 118) that may not allow to show statistical significant differences in HGS between undernourished and not undernourished patients, nor to compare subgroups and identify significant associations using a multivariable linear regression model. Haverkort et al 53 also evaluated the accuracy of HGS in diagnosing undernutrition defined by involuntary weight loss and BMI.…”

Functional Assessment of Nutrition Status

“…Milne et al 24 suggested that in elderly individuals, muscle function might be more closely related to general frailty than to nutrition status. Garcia and colleagues 25 noted a correlation of HGS with BMI but no correlation of HGS with SGA or the results of the Nutrition Risk Screening 2002 process in a small study in Brazil. Sternang et al 26 studied 849 individuals aged 50–88 years (at the start of the study) for 22 years.…”