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Grip strength is lower in adults born with extremely low birth weight compared to term-born controls
Katherine M Morrison1,2, Elizabeth Gunn3,4, Sasha Guay3
1Department of Pediatrics, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada. kmorrison@mcmaster.ca.
Insights
Adults born extremely low birth weight (ELBW) have lower grip strength than normal birth weight (NBW) individuals, indicating potential long-term health risks. Grip strength changes similarly over time for both ELBW and NBW groups.
Area of Science:
- Human physiology
- Perinatal medicine
- Longitudinal studies
Background:
- Grip strength is a key indicator of long-term health and mortality in adults.
- Adults born extremely low birth weight (ELBW) may experience altered physiological development.
- Understanding grip strength in ELBW survivors is crucial for assessing their future health risks.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare grip strength in adults born ELBW versus normal birth weight (NBW) controls.
- To examine changes in grip strength over a 10-year period in a longitudinal cohort.
- To identify factors influencing grip strength in ELBW survivors.
Main Methods:
- Grip strength, body composition, and physical activity were assessed in 95 adults born ELBW and 88 NBW controls.
- Participants were mature adults (mean age ~31.6 years).
- Regression models analyzed the impact of perinatal factors, body composition, and physical activity on grip strength.
Main Results:
- Adults born ELBW had significantly lower grip strength than NBW controls (31.8 vs. 39.8 kg).
- Grip strength in ELBW adults was associated with birth weight group, independent of sex, height, and lean mass index.
- Physical activity, as measured by devices, did not correlate with grip strength.
- Grip strength change from mid-20s to mature adulthood was similar between ELBW and NBW groups.
Conclusions:
- Mature adults born ELBW exhibit reduced grip strength, comparable to individuals 25-30 years older.
- This reduced grip strength suggests a potentially higher risk for cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality in ELBW survivors.
- Grip strength is primarily related to lean mass and not device-measured physical activity in this cohort.
- Grip strength serves as a valuable, simple metric for assessing the health status of adults born extremely preterm.
Background:
Grip strength predicts long-term morbidity and mortality in adults. We compared grip strength in adults born with extremely low birth weight (ELBW; under 1 kg) and a normal birth weight control group (NBW) and describe change in grip strength over a 10-year period in a longitudinal cohort study of preterm birth.
Methods:
Grip strength, body composition, and device-measured physical activity were assessed in 95 mature adults (MA) born ELBW (age 31.6 (1.6) mean (SD) years, 59 females) and 88 born NBW (age 31.9 (1.4) years, 52 females). Regression models were used to examine the effect of perinatal factors, body composition, physical activity, and physical self-efficacy on grip strength.
Results:
Grip strength was lower in MA born ELBW compared to NBW (31.8 (10.0) vs. 39.8 (11.2) kg; p < 0.001). Birth weight group was associated with grip strength independent of sex, height, and lean mass index, but device-measured physical activity was not. The change in grip strength from mid-20s to MA was similar in ELBW and NBW participants.
Discussion:
Grip strength in MA born ELBW is low and is similar to a reference group 25-30 years older, suggesting higher risk for cardiovascular and all-cause mortality.
Impact:
Adults born extremely preterm have reduced grip strength compared to control participants born at full term. Reduced grip strength is a predictor of frailty and increased cardiovascular disease risk. Change in grip strength from age in mid-20s to mid-30s is similar in those born preterm and full-term-born controls. Grip strength is related to lean mass and not to device-measured physical activity-and correlates of grip strength are similar in those born preterm and term-born controls. Grip strength is a simple measure that may provide information about the health of adults born preterm.
