title: Handgrip strength after the Blalock-Taussig shunt: 14 to 34 year follow-up.
abstract: To determine the long-term functional impact of the Blalock-Taussig (BT) shunt, we studied handgrip strength in 56 patients (10-28 years) following total repair of tetralogy of Fallot. Of the 56, 16 (29%) had a previous right BT shunt, 5 of 56 (9%) had a previous left BT shunt, and the remaining 35 patients either had a Potts shunt or primary total repair. The mean age at the time of right BT was 2.8 +/- 1.6 (SD) years, left BT 1.7 +/- 1.2 years, and total repair for all patients was 7.1 +/- 2.2 years. Mean age at the time of study was 26 +/- 9 years. Right-and left-handgrip strength were measured with a Jamar dynamometer, averaging the results of grip position 2, 3, and 4 to accommodate variation in hand size. Since absolute values of hand strength were strongly associated with sex (p = 0.006) and body surface area (p = 0.016), we calculated the ratio of right-hand to left-handgrip strength (RL ratio). The RL ratios were: 0.98 +/- 0.13 (right BT), 1.21 +/- 0.11 (left BT), and 1.13 +/- 0.16 (no BT): (p = 0.004 right BT vs. no BT, p = 0.07 left BT vs. no BT, Wilcoxon rank sum test). Thus, although frequently clinically inapparent, handgrip strength tested many years post-BT shunt is reduced on the side of the shunt.
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.
authors: K G
authors: KG
authors: Zahka
authors: T A
authors: TA
authors: Manolio
authors: M J
authors: MJ
authors: Rykiel
authors: D L
authors: DL
authors: Abel
authors: C A
authors: CA
authors: Neill
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Kidd
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006225:Hand; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D009119:Muscle Contraction; D009132:Muscles / Q000098:blood supply / Q000502:physiology*; D010166:Palliative Care; D013771:Tetralogy of Fallot / Q000601:surgery*