Dodds R M, Pakpahan E, Granic A, Davies K, Sayer Avan A
AGE Research Group, Institute of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
NIHR Newcastle Biomedical Research Centre, Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
Eur Geriatr Med. 2019 Jun;10(3):395-401. doi: 10.1007/s41999-019-00174-4. Epub 2019 Mar 6.
Weaker grip strength in older adults is associated with adverse health outcomes and is a key component of sarcopenia. The secular trend of grip strength is, therefore, relevant in the setting of ageing populations. A recent study suggested differences in this trend among countries in mainland Europe. We used data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) to investigate the recent secular trend of older English adults.
We used data on participants aged 50-89 having their first measurement of grip strength in waves 2 (2002/2003), 4 (2008/2009) or 6 (2012/2013) of ELSA. Grip was measured using a Smedley dynamometer. We expressed grip values as Z-scores (number of standard deviations above the age and gender mean from normative data) for use in linear regression analyses examining the annual secular trend after adjustment for potential confounders.
We included a total of 11,476 participants from the three waves of ELSA. Grip strength declined across the three waves, with mean (SD) Z-scores of 0.01 (0.94), - 0.06 (0.97) and - 0.20 (0.98) in waves 2, 4 and 6, respectively. The annual Z-score decline after adjustments was 0.03 SDs (95% CI 0.02, 0.03) per year.
We saw evidence of a recent slight decline in the grip strength of older English adults. Over the 9-year period of this study, the decline seen is equivalent to 65-year-olds' mean strength declining to that previously seen in individuals at age 69. Further monitoring of secular trends in grip strength and investigation of possible causes are warranted.
老年人握力较弱与不良健康后果相关，是肌肉减少症的关键组成部分。因此，握力的长期趋势在老龄化人口背景下具有重要意义。最近一项研究表明欧洲大陆国家在这一趋势上存在差异。我们使用英国老龄化纵向研究（ELSA）的数据来调查英国老年成年人最近的长期趋势。
我们使用了ELSA第2波（2002/2003年）、第4波（2008/2009年）或第6波（2012/2013年）中首次测量握力的50 - 89岁参与者的数据。使用斯梅德利测力计测量握力。我们将握力值表示为Z分数（相对于来自标准数据的年龄和性别均值的标准差数量），用于在调整潜在混杂因素后检查年度长期趋势的线性回归分析。
我们纳入了ELSA三个波次的总共11476名参与者。握力在三个波次中均有所下降，第2波、第4波和第6波的平均（标准差）Z分数分别为0.01（0.94）、 - 0.06（0.97）和 - 0.20（0.98）。调整后的年度Z分数下降为每年0.03个标准差（95%置信区间0.02，0.03）。
我们发现英国老年成年人握力近期略有下降的证据。在本研究的9年期间，观察到的下降相当于65岁人群的平均力量下降到之前69岁个体的水平。有必要进一步监测握力的长期趋势并调查可能的原因。
