The Correlation between Hand Grip Strength and Nutritional Variables in Ambulatory Cancer Patients

Among the methods used in the nutritional assessment of cancer patients, handgrip strength (HGS), an important indicator of malnutrition, was chosen in this study. An observational cross-sectional study with the prospective collection. We analyzed 100 patients from the Oncology Department of Santa Rita Hospital, in Maringa city, Parana, Brazil. To determine the clinical-pathological staging was used the Cancer Staging Manual. In the objective nutritional assessment, data to calculate Body Mass Index (BMI), arm muscle circumference (AMC), corrected arm muscle area (cAMA) and measurement of HGS were measured. In connection with the subjective method used, a Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA) has been selected. Arm Circumference (AC) presents a significant association with the left hand HGS classification. The right hand HGS does not show a significant correlation with the analyzed variables. However, the results showed that patients with higher left hand HGS tend to present lower PG-SGA and higher AMC. HGS, as a predictor of nutritional vulnerability, has proved superiority for predicting clinical results in cancer patients. However, it requires more studies that investigate other nutritional variables to determine the nutritional risk in this population.

Automated summary

Handgrip strength as an important indicator of malnutrition in cancer patients was studied, showing associations with nutritional status and muscle condition. Using tools like the Cancer Staging Manual to assess patients' disease staging can provide valuable information for subsequent treatment.