Hand grip strength is associated with maximal inspiratory pressure in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Abstract

Purpose: Hand grip strength (HGS) can be used to predict the risk of cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality in the general population.Previous studies have shown that HGS is correlated with dyspnea and exercise capacity, and higher HGS is associated with lower exacerbation frequency in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, the clinical significance of HGS in patients with COPD is uncertain. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between HGS and physical function in patients with COPD. Methods: Seventy-eight outpatients with COPD (70.1% male; age, 77.6±7.4 years; body mass index (BMI), 20.9±3.0; forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), 1.6±0.6L) were enrolled in this study. HGS, 6-min walk distance (6MWD), 4-m gait speed, short physical performance battery (SPPB), physical activity, knee extension power, maximal inspiratory pressure (PImax), maximal expiratory pressure (PEmax), and COPD assessment test (CAT) were evaluated. Pearson correlation coefficient was used to determine the association between HGS and other parameters, and multiple regression analysis was performed to determine significant factors. Results: HGS was significantly and positively correlated with SPPB, 6MWD, 4-m gait speed, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, knee extension power, PImax, and PEmax (p Conclusion: Our results suggested that HGS is associated with PImax in patients with COPD.