Hand-Grip Strength Associated with Death, Disability
Risks Also Applies to the Oldest Old
Researchers find that handgrip strength has a
greater impact on mortality as people age
Feb. 8, 2010 A weak handgrip has long been
associated with premature death, disability and other health problems in
middle-aged and older people. A new study of those called the oldest
old age 85 or older finds it again associated with poor chances of
survival and as a useful tool to assess mortality.
Handgrip strength, a simple bedside tool, is an
alternative way of measuring overall muscular strength, according to an
article in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
The researchers say this oldest group has been under-represented in
previous studies.
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This study included 555 individuals from the Leiden
85-plus survey of all 85 year olds in Leiden, The Netherlands. The
fastest growing segment of the elderly population is the group older
than 85 years, classified as the oldest old.
Their handgrip strength was measured at 85 years
and then again at 89. The CMAJ study, led by researchers from The
Netherlands, found that low handgrip strength, both at 85 and 89 years,
and a greater decline in strength over time are associated with
increased all-cause mortality.
The researchers also found that handgrip strength
has a greater impact on mortality as people age.
"The oldest old population has been
underrepresented in previous studies," write Dr. Carolina Ling, Leiden
University Medical Center, Department of Gerontology and Geriatrics and
coauthors. "The objective of this study was to assess the association
between muscular strength and mortality in the oldest old."
The underlying reasons why muscle strength and
mortality are linked are not well known. The authors were unable to
determine if muscle strength had a direct effect on mortality or if it
was associated with other factors ultimately leading to death.
The authors conclude that measuring handgrip
strength may not only identify older people at risk of a disability but
may also aid in the survival of the elderly by being able to apply the
correct strategies to help maintain muscle strength.
In a related commentary
http://www.cmaj.ca/embargo/cmaj100004.pdf, Dr. Allen Huang,
geriatrician at the McGill University Health Centre writes that the
global population is getting older, and the fastest growing segment
includes people 80-years and older. Society and the health care system
need to acknowledge the rapid growth of this age group and prepare to
meet its potential needs.
"Handgrip strength is an easy measurement for
clinicians to obtain," states Dr. Huang, who is also an Associate
Professor at the McGill University Faculty of Medicine. "Handgrip
dynamometers, though not commonly found in physicians' offices, are
simple, low maintenance devices."
Feb. 8, 2010 A weak handgrip has long been
associated with premature death, disability and other health problems in
middle-aged and older people. A new study of those called the oldest
old age 85 or older finds it again associated with poor chances of
survival and as a useful tool to assess mortality.