Handgrip strength as an instrument for assessing the risk of malnutrition and inflammation in hemodialysis patients

• Published in: Brazilian Journal of Nephrology Vol. 42; no. 4; pp. 429 - 436
• Main Authors: Sostisso, Caroline Finger, Olikszechen, Mayara, Sato, Melissa Nihi, Oliveira, Miriam de Aguiar Souza Cruz, Karam, Scheila
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Brazil Sociedade Brasileira de Nefrologia 01.10.2020
• Subjects: Female; Hand Strength; Humans; Inflammation; Male; Malnutrition; Malnutrition - diagnosis; Malnutrition - etiology; Muscle Strength; Muscle Strength Dynamometer; Nutrition Assessment; Nutritional Status; Original; Renal Dialysis
• ISSN: 0101-2800; 2175-8239
• DOI: 10.1590/2175-8239-JBN-2019-0177

Establishing which parameters to use for diagnosing malnutrition in hemodialysis patients is a challenge in clinical practice. The handgrip strength (HGS) has stood out as a method of assessing nutritional status. Thus, the aim of this study was to determine the cut-off point for HGS in the assessment of the risk of malnutrition and inflammation in HD patients, and its association with other parameters. Study carried out in hemodialysis units in the city of Curitiba, Brazil. We obtained the cut-off point of the HGS through the ROC curve, using the malnutrition and inflammation score (MIS) as a reference. We checked the relationship (Odds ratio) between the variables "MIS" and "HGS" with the other study variables using the multivariate analysis (logistic regression). We assessed 238 patients (132 men), between 18 and 87 years of age (median = 59). The HGS cut-off point for diagnosing malnutrition and inflammation according to the reference used was <14.5 kg for women, and <23.5 kg for men. According to the HGS criteria, malnourished patients were older (OR = 0.958), with lower arm circumference (OR = 1.328) and higher scores in the malnutrition and inflammation score (OR = 0.85). HGS was significantly correlated with other nutritional assessment parameters. These results suggest that HGS is a valid screening tool to identify the risk of malnutrition and inflammation in hemodialysis patients.