Adductor pollicis muscle and handgrip strength: potential methods of nutritional assessment in surgical patients

Abstract

Measurements of the adductor pollicis muscle thickness (APMT) and handgrip strength (HGS) are easy and quick to apply, low cost, and may detect changes in nutritional status in the short term. The use of these measurements would speed up the nutritional diagnosis and optimize the care of hospitalized patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between APMT and HGS with anthropometric parameters, subjective global assessment (SGA), and biochemical markers in patients admitted for digestive tract and adnexal organ surgery. This is a cross-sectional study in which body mass index (BMI), arm circumference (AC), triceps skinfold thickness, arm muscle circumference, APMT, HGS, SGA and biochemical variables were evaluated. A total of 56 patients participated, showing that the increase of one unit in the AC promoted an increase of 0.73 kgf in the HGS (95%CI: 0.30;1.17, p=0.002). A one-unit increase in normal weight, AC, and serum albumin adjusted for height, age, and gender was associated with higher APMT values (normal weight: 0.92 mm, 95%CI: 0.18;1.66, p=0.017; AC: 0.69 mm, 95%CI: 0.27;1.11, p=0.006; serum albumin 1.83 mm, 95%CI: 0.10;3.57, p=0.039). On the other hand, the increase of one unit in weight loss (%) and BMI resulted in a reduction of 0.85 mm (95%CI: -1.46;-0.25, p=0.008) and 2.80 mm in the APMT (95%CI: -4.73;-0.88, p=0.006), respectively. There is a positive association between HGS and AC and between APMT, normal weight, AC, and serum albumin, and an inverse association between APMT, BMI, and percentage of weight loss.

Keywords

• anthropometry. nutritional status. hospitalization. patient care.