tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle
. 2021 Aug 6.
doi: 10.1002/jcsm.12738. Online ahead of print.
Muscle strength is associated with COVID-19 hospitalization in adults 50 years of age or older
Boris Cheval[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Stefan Sieber[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Silvio Maltagliati[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Grégoire P Millet[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Tomáš Formánek[SUP] 6 7 [/SUP], Aïna Chalabaev[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Stéphane Cullati[SUP] 8 9 [/SUP], Matthieu P Boisgontier[SUP] 10 11 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
Background: Weak muscle strength has been associated with a wide range of adverse health outcomes. Yet, whether individuals with weaker muscle strength are more at risk for hospitalization due to severe COVID-19 is still unclear. The objective of this study was to investigate the independent association between muscle strength and COVID-19 hospitalization.
Methods: Data from adults 50 years of age or older were analysed using logistic models adjusted for several chronic conditions, body-mass index, age, and sex. Hand-grip strength was repeatedly measured between 2004 and 2017 using a handheld dynamometer. COVID-19 hospitalization during the lockdown was self-reported in summer 2020 and was used as an indicator of COVID-19 severity.
Results: The study was based on the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) and included 3600 older adults (68.8 ± 8.8 years, 2044 female), among whom 316 were tested positive for the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (8.8%), and 83 (2.3%) were hospitalized due to COVID-19. Results showed that higher grip strength was associated with a lower risk of COVID-19 hospitalization [adjusted odds ratio (OR) per increase of 1 standard deviation in grip strength = 0.64, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) = 0.45-0.87, P = 0.015]. Results also showed that age (OR for a 10 -year period = 1.70, 95% CI = 1.32-2.20, P < 0.001) and obesity (OR = 2.01, 95% CI = 1.00-3.69, P = 0.025) were associated with higher risk of COVID-19 hospitalization. Sensitivity analyses using different measurements of grip strength as well as robustness analyses based on rare-events logistic regression and a different sample of participants (i.e. COVID-19 patients) were consistent with the main results.
Conclusions: Muscle strength is an independent risk factor for COVID-19 severity in adults 50 years of age or older.
Keywords: Coronavirus disease 2019; Hospitalization; Muscle strength; Physical fitness; Risk factors; Sarcopenia.
. 2021 Aug 6.
doi: 10.1002/jcsm.12738. Online ahead of print.
Muscle strength is associated with COVID-19 hospitalization in adults 50 years of age or older
Boris Cheval[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Stefan Sieber[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Silvio Maltagliati[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Grégoire P Millet[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Tomáš Formánek[SUP] 6 7 [/SUP], Aïna Chalabaev[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Stéphane Cullati[SUP] 8 9 [/SUP], Matthieu P Boisgontier[SUP] 10 11 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 34363345
- DOI: 10.1002/jcsm.12738
Abstract
Background: Weak muscle strength has been associated with a wide range of adverse health outcomes. Yet, whether individuals with weaker muscle strength are more at risk for hospitalization due to severe COVID-19 is still unclear. The objective of this study was to investigate the independent association between muscle strength and COVID-19 hospitalization.
Methods: Data from adults 50 years of age or older were analysed using logistic models adjusted for several chronic conditions, body-mass index, age, and sex. Hand-grip strength was repeatedly measured between 2004 and 2017 using a handheld dynamometer. COVID-19 hospitalization during the lockdown was self-reported in summer 2020 and was used as an indicator of COVID-19 severity.
Results: The study was based on the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) and included 3600 older adults (68.8 ± 8.8 years, 2044 female), among whom 316 were tested positive for the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (8.8%), and 83 (2.3%) were hospitalized due to COVID-19. Results showed that higher grip strength was associated with a lower risk of COVID-19 hospitalization [adjusted odds ratio (OR) per increase of 1 standard deviation in grip strength = 0.64, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) = 0.45-0.87, P = 0.015]. Results also showed that age (OR for a 10 -year period = 1.70, 95% CI = 1.32-2.20, P < 0.001) and obesity (OR = 2.01, 95% CI = 1.00-3.69, P = 0.025) were associated with higher risk of COVID-19 hospitalization. Sensitivity analyses using different measurements of grip strength as well as robustness analyses based on rare-events logistic regression and a different sample of participants (i.e. COVID-19 patients) were consistent with the main results.
Conclusions: Muscle strength is an independent risk factor for COVID-19 severity in adults 50 years of age or older.
Keywords: Coronavirus disease 2019; Hospitalization; Muscle strength; Physical fitness; Risk factors; Sarcopenia.