Potential Prognostic Value of Handgrip Strength in Older Hospitalized Patients

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Internal Medicine
• Clinical Assessment

Background:

• Objective measures of physical function are crucial for prognosis in hospitalized elders.
• Low handgrip strength is a known predictor of adverse outcomes.
• Grip strength can be assessed even in bedridden patients, offering a practical alternative measure.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the prognostic value of grip strength in older patients admitted to the hospital for acute medical conditions.
• To determine if grip strength at admission and discharge correlates with hospital stay duration, rehospitalization, and mortality.

Main Methods:

• Prospective cohort study of 88 patients aged 65 and older admitted to a geriatric medical ward.
• Grip strength was measured at hospital admission and discharge.
• Patients were followed for one year post-discharge via telephone interviews to track hospitalizations and vital status.

Main Results:

• Mean age was 77.3 years; 47% were women. Higher admission grip strength correlated with BMI, serum albumin, and Short Physical Performance Battery scores, and inversely with age.
• Patients in the highest tertile of grip strength had significantly shorter hospital stays compared to the lowest tertile.
• Higher grip strength at discharge showed a trend towards lower rehospitalization or death risk, though not statistically significant.

Conclusions:

• Grip strength assessment in older hospitalized medical patients provides valuable prognostic information.
• Handgrip strength can serve as a practical and informative prognostic tool for this population.
• Further research may clarify the predictive power of discharge grip strength on long-term outcomes.