HANDGRIP STRENGTH ASYMMETRY AS A VARIABLE FOR ASSESSING AND STRATIFYING CLINICAL, FUNCTIONAL, AND COGNITIVE RISKS

Abstract

This article aimed to analyze handgrip strength (HGS) asymmetry as an independent and complementary predictor variable in the assessment of clinical, functional, and cognitive risks for the following outcomes: mortality, morbidity, adverse cardiovascular events (ACE), cognitive impairment (CI), functional disability (FD), and risk of falls (RQ). A systematic review was conducted following the Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, registered in the Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews: CRD420261279310. The PICO acronym was used to select Health Sciences Descriptors and derivatives for searching the PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, PEDro, and Web of Science databases. Inclusion criteria: longitudinal studies. Exclusion criteria: articles that did not measure asymmetry as a percentage. Results: mortality (HR = 1.01; 1.04; 1.10; 1.17), RQ (OR = 1.07), ECA (HR = 1.94 and 1.09), IF (OR = 1.12; 1.21 and 1.11), CC (OR = 1.15; 1.66; 4.48 and β = -1.80) and morbidity (HR = 1.10; 1.13; 1.90; 1.20 (men) and 1.19 (women)). It is concluded that FPM asymmetry is associated with clinical, functional and psychosocial outcomes, mainly combined with weakness, showing increased risks according to the degree of asymmetry, demonstrating potential for risk stratification.