Effect of Self‐Reported Distress Thermometer Score on the Maximal Handgrip and Pinch Strength Measurements in Hemodialysis Patients

Abstract

Paradoxically higher self-reported DT scores were associated with younger age and lean body mass. As such, younger healthier, rather than more comorbid, patients may have greater expectations for their health and therefore report more distress. We found no association between DT scores and HGS, and as such, although HGS is a voluntary test, it appears to be a robust test independent of patient stresses. However, PS was lower in patients with higher DT scores, and as such, greater care may be required in interpreting these measurements.

Differences in Prevalence of Muscle Weakness (Sarcopenia) in Haemodialysis Patients Determined by Hand Grip Strength Due to Variation in Guideline Definitions of Sarcopenia

“…Although relying on patient participation requiring a measurement of maximum voluntary muscle strength, HGS has been shown to be a reliable reproducible test to detect muscle weakness that can be readily performed in the clinic and on the dialysis unit . Previous reports have shown that HGS is a robust test of muscle strength that is not affected by patient self‐reported distress . Although there is no consensus definition for sarcopenia, speciality interest groups in both North America and Europe recommend measuring HGS in diagnosing sarcopenia …”

“…13,25 Previous reports have shown that HGS is a robust test of muscle strength that is not affected by patient self-reported distress. 12 Although there is no consensus definition for sarcopenia, speciality interest groups in both North America and Europe recommend measuring HGS in diagnosing sarcopenia. 3,4 We measured HGS in a large, multiethnic dialysis population attending for outpatient dialysis treatments.…”

“…Patients with chronic kidney disease treated by hemodialysis (HD) are at increased risk of losing muscle mass as a result of multiple factors, including dietary restrictions, metabolic acidosis, insulin resistance, urinary and dialysate protein losses, and reduced physical activity along with fatigue and self‐reported depression . Reports of studies using HGS measurements in HD patients have shown that HGS measurements are reliable and reproducible and not affected by the presence of an arterio‐venous fistula or the dialysis session . In addition, HGS weakness in HD patients is associated with increased mortality risk …”

“…8,9 Reports of studies using HGS measurements in HD patients have shown that HGS measurements are reliable and reproducible and not affected by the presence of an arterio-venous fistula or the dialysis session. [10][11][12] In addition, HGS weakness in HD patients is associated with increased mortality risk. 13 As there has been recent concordance in defining sarcopenia first by a loss of muscle strength measured by HGS by both the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP) 3 and the North American Foundation for the National Institutes of Health Sarcopenia Project (FNIH), 4 we determined the prevalence of muscle weakness using these definitions as well as comparing muscle weakness with age-matched and gender-matched controls.…”

The effects of supported shared‐care and hemodialysis self‐care on patient psychological well‐being, interdialytic weight gain, and blood pressure control

“…20 Prescribed medications were reviewed from the hospital patient electronic records. 22 21 Our HD population is multi-ethnic, with English a second language for many patients, so to overcome language and literacy difficulties, we chose the visual distress thermometer, rather than written questionnaires to record self-reported psychological well-being.…”