Grip strength as a predictor of disease severity in hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

Abstract Background Grip strength is one of the main components for the physical functioning in sarcopenia and physical frailty. Objectives To explore the role of grip strength measurement at admission for predicting disease severity in COVID-19. Methods Demographic data, smoking status, comorbidities, COVID-19 related symptoms, grip strength, laboratory and computed tomography (CT) findings at admission were all noted. Using a Smedley hand dynamometer, the maximum grip strength value (kg) after three measurements on the dominant side was recorded. Low grip strength was defined as two standard deviations below the gender-specific peak mean value of the healthy young adults ( 30/min, oxygen saturation ≤90%, or extensive lung involvement in CT. Moderate illness group had pneumonia with CT score ≤11. Mild illness group had normal CT findings. Results The study population included 312 patients (140 F, 172 M). The distribution of mild, moderate and severe disease groups were 36.9%, 51.0% and 12.2%, respectively. Cough, fever, dyspnea, hypertension, obesity, cardiovascular disease (CVD) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) were most frequent, and C-reactive protein (CRP), ferritin, D-dimer, and neutrophil levels were highest in the severe group (all p Conclusions In addition to the well-known independent risk factors (i.e. age, obesity, COPD, and CRP level), low grip strength independently increased (about three times) the severity of COVID-19.