Abstract
Objectiveto investigate the associations between initial level and rate of change in grip strength (GS) and all-cause mortality in very old adults (≥85 years) over a 9.6-year follow-up.Methodsprospective mortality data from 845 participants in the Newcastle 85+ Study were analysed for survival in relation to GS (kg, baseline and 5-year mean change) using Cox proportional hazards models.Resultsduring the follow-up, 636 (75.3%) participants died. Higher baseline GS was associated with a decreased risk of mortality in all participants [hazard ratio (HR) = 0.95, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.93–0.98, P < 0.001], men (HR = 0.97, 95% CI: 0.95–0.99, P = 0.009) and women (HR = 0.96, 95% CI: 0.94–0.99, P = 0.007) after adjustment for health, lifestyle and anthropometric factors. Overall GS slope had a downward trajectory and was determined in 602 participants: 451 experienced constant decline (negative slope) and 151 had increasing GS (positive slope) over time. Men and women with a negative slope had a 16 and 33% increased risk of mortality, respectively, with every kg/year decline in GS (P ≤ 0.005), and participants with a positive slope had a 31% decreased risk of mortality (P = 0.03) irrespective of baseline GS and key covariates.Conclusionhigher baseline GS and 5-year increase in GS were protective of mortality, whilst GS decline was associated with an increased risk of mortality in the very old over 9.6 years, especially in women. These results add to the biological and clinical importance of GS as a powerful predictor of long-term survival in late life.
Highlights
Normative population-based studies have established a lifespan trajectory of grip strength (GS), peaking in early adulthood, maintained in middle life and steadily declining in late life [1, 2]
To determine the importance of GS for survival in later life, we investigated whether initial level or change in GS were predictive of long-term mortality in the very old and whether associations differed by sex
In adjusted Cox models a reduced risk of all-cause mortality was observed with higher baseline GS for all participants, men and women (Table 1)
Summary
Normative population-based studies have established a lifespan trajectory of grip strength (GS), peaking in early adulthood, maintained in middle life and steadily declining in late life [1, 2]. Weak GS—values below the age and sex-specific norms have been linked to adverse health outcomes including mobility decline [3], disability [4] and mortality in middle and late adulthood [5,6,7,8,9,10,11]. We postulated that for both men and women the mean (absolute) decline in GS per year (slope) may be more predictive of mortality than baseline muscle strength (GS), regardless of its initial level
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