Handgrip strength as a surrogate marker of lean mass and risk of malnutrition in paediatric patients.

ABSTRACT:

Background & aims

The use of handgrip strength (HGS) as a proxy of nutritional status in sick children has not been studied. This study created HGS centile charts in healthy children and explored the utility of HGS z-scores as markers of body composition and screening of malnutrition risk in sick children.

Methods

Data from 535 healthy children aged 5-16 years were used for the development of HGS centiles adjusted either for age or height. In 595 sick children, relationships between HGS z-scores with body composition, malnutrition risk (Paediatric Yorkhill Malnutrition Score-PYMS), length of hospital stay (LOS) and biomarkers of disease severity were explored. The use of HGS z-score to identify sick children in need of further dietetic assessment was investigated.

Results

SUBMITTER: Mckirdy S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8460712 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature