CORRELATION BETWEEN PALMAR GRIP STRENGTH AND NUTRITIONAL EVALUATION VARIABLES IN PATIENTS SUBMITTED TO COLECISTECTOMY

Abstract

Introduction: Cholelithiasis is considered to be one of the diseases of the gastrointestinal tract that most affects patients indicated for cholecystectomy surgeries. Malnutrition is a relevant risk factor in preoperative and postoperative patients. The measurement of palmar grip strength is a quick and easy method to complement the nutritional assessment of these patients. Objective: To correlate Palmar Grip Strength with variables of nutritional assessment in preoperative cholecystectomy patients. Methods: This is a quantitative and cross-sectional study applied in adults patients submitted to cholecystectomy surgery of both sexes. Data were collected between January and February of 2019 in the surgical clinic of a reference hospital in Teresina - Piauí. Results: Fifty patients (39 ± 12 years) were evaluated, of whom 72% were female (40 ± 11 years) and 28% were male (37 ± 13 years). The Spearman coefficient analysis identified a negative correlation between Palmar Grip Strength and the Global Subjective Nutrition Assessment index (r = -0.310, p = 0.029) and significant correlations between Palmar Grip Strength and arm circumference (r = 0.404, p = 0.004) and arm muscle circumference (r = 0.488, p = 0.001). Conclusion: It was concluded that the results found for the studied population showed a positive correlation of the Palmar Grip Strength for the anthropometric variables Arm Circumference, Arm Muscle Circumference and Global Subjective Nutritional Assessment.