Predicting the handgrip strength across the age span: Cross-validating reference equations from the 2011 NIH toolbox...

Area of Science:

• Physiology
• Biometrics

Background:

• Reference equations for hand-grip strength were established using data from the 2011 NIH Toolbox norming study.
• Hand-grip strength is a key indicator of overall health and functional capacity across the lifespan.

Purpose of the Study:

• To cross-validate existing reference equations for hand-grip strength.
• To evaluate the predictive accuracy of these equations using an independent dataset from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from 13,676 participants in the NHANES study (2011-2014).
• Calculated predicted hand-grip strength using age, height, and weight.
• Assessed prediction accuracy using correlation coefficients, residuals, and Bland-Altman plots.

Main Results:

• Predicted grip strength values demonstrated a high correlation with observed values (r=0.90, ICC=0.89).
• Residual analysis indicated minimal bias in predictions for both dominant and nondominant hands.
• Root mean square error varied, with approximately 5.56% of predictions falling outside the 95% confidence interval.

Conclusions:

• The reference equations derived from the NIH Toolbox study exhibit preliminary predictive performance on the NHANES dataset.
• Acknowledged differences in hand-grip measurement protocols between the two studies.
• Results support the potential utility of these equations for estimating grip strength in broader populations.