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Weakness Is Associated with Time to Incident Chronic Heart Failure in Aging Americans
R McGrath1, D-C Lee, W J Kraemer
1Ryan McGrath, PhD, Department of Health, Nutrition, and Exercise Sciences, North Dakota State University, NDSU Dept. 2620, PO Box 6050, Fargo, ND 58108, Phone: 701-231-7474, Fax: 701-231-8872,
The Journal of Nutrition, Health & Aging
|December 31, 2019
Summary
Reduced handgrip strength, indicating weakness, is linked to a higher risk of developing chronic heart failure (CHF) in older adults. This finding highlights the importance of assessing handgrip strength for cardiovascular health in aging populations.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Cardiology
- Nutritional Science
Background:
- Handgrip strength serves as a key biomarker for nutritional status and overall strength capacity.
- Both nutritional status and strength capacity are recognized as factors influencing cardiovascular health.
- The specific relationship between handgrip strength-defined weakness and the incidence of chronic heart failure (CHF) in aging populations remains incompletely understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between handgrip strength-defined weakness and the occurrence of incident chronic heart failure (CHF) among older Americans.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from 17,431 adults aged 50 years and older from the Health and Retirement Study (2006-2014).
- Handgrip strength was measured using a hand-held dynamometer, with sex- and race-specific cut-points defining weakness.
- A covariate-adjusted Cox proportional hazards model was employed to analyze the association between weakness and incident CHF.
Main Results:
- Approximately 31.0% of the participants were identified as weak based on handgrip strength.
- During a mean follow-up of 4.7 years, 1.9% of participants developed CHF.
- Individuals classified as weak exhibited a 35% increased risk of developing CHF compared to their non-weak counterparts (HR: 1.35, 95% CI: 1.05-1.74).
Conclusions:
- Healthcare providers should incorporate handgrip strength measurements to assess age-related weakness and nutritional status in older adults.
- Assessing handgrip strength can aid in identifying individuals at elevated risk for chronic heart failure (CHF).
- Interventions targeting CHF prevention or treatment in aging adults should consider integrating handgrip strength assessments to evaluate program efficacy.
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