Handgrip strength, inflammatory markers, and mortality

Abstract

Purpose To investigate the extent to which inflammatory markers explain the association between handgrip strength and mortality. Methods Analyses of data from The English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. Handgrip strength and inflammatory marker data (C‐reactive protein and fibrinogen) were collected at baseline (2004/5) and inflammatory marker data at follow‐up (2012/13). Participant data were linked with death records. General linear models were used to explore associations between handgrip strength and inflammatory markers at follow‐up. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to examine associations between grip strength and risk of death. Models were estimated with the covariates age, sex, wealth, physical activity, smoking, depressive symptoms, long‐standing illness, and adiposity. Results The sample comprised of 5,240 participants (mean age 65.9 (SD 9.4) years; 53.8% female). Over an average 9.7 ± 1.4 years follow‐up, there were 650 deaths. Inverse associations were evident between handgrip strength and change in inflammatory markers in women only. There was an association between grip strength and lower risk of mortality in women (hazard ratio = 0.85; 95% CI, 0.74, 0.98) after adjusting for age and wealth. The association was attenuated after adjustment for clinical and behavioral risk factors (0.92; 0.79, 1.07), and further attenuated after adjusting for inflammatory markers (0.95; 0.82, 1.11). Conclusion Higher grip strength is associated with lower levels of inflammation at 8‐year follow‐up, and inflammatory markers partly explained the association between handgrip strength and mortality.

<p>Circulating Biomarkers of Handgrip Strength and Lung Function in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease</p>

“…The positive association between CC16 and handgrip strength reported in this study is probably because of anti-inflammatory properties of CC16, since systemic inflammation is known to reduce hand-grip strength. 34 We also found an association of serum TSA with FEV 1 % and hand-grip strength. TSA is a marker of inflammation and its serum levels are elevated in systemic inflammation associated with COPD 16 and sarcopenia.…”

Associations between Handgrip Strength with Adverse Cardiometabolic Health among Representative Korean Adults

“…Moreover, a recent clinical study among hospitalized older patients reported that acute inflammation is associated with decreased muscular strength, mass, and function [31]. In addition, increased chronic inflammation, even at low levels, is associated with adverse metabolic biomarkers, elevated risk of metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, and mortality [29,32,33]. In conjunction, the loss of muscle strength and mass may affect the adverse cardiometabolic health through increased inflammation [26].…”

Comparison of field- and laboratory-based estimates of muscle quality index between octogenarians and young older adults: an observational study

“…More comprehensive evaluations of muscle quality using noninvasive methods in older adults were specifically discussed and highlighted at the multidisciplinary workshop of "Sarcopenia and Physical Performance in Old Age" in 1996 (Dutta et al, 1997). Since then, muscle quality index (MQI) has been recognized as a sensitive surrogate measure of overall health and mortality in the community-dwelling older adults, similarly to strength of quadriceps and hand musculature (Brown et al, 2016;McGregor et al, 2014;Newman et al, 2006;Park et al, 2006;Rijk et al, 2016;Smith et al, 2019;Wang et al, 2020).…”