title: Skeletal muscle strength as a predictor of all-cause mortality in healthy men.
abstract: Low muscle strength is associated with mortality, presumably as a result of low muscle mass (sarcopenia) and physical inactivity. Grip strength was longitudinally collected in 1071 men over a 25-year period. Muscle mass was estimated by using 24-hour creatinine excretion and physical activity values, obtained by questionnaire. Survival analysis examined the impact of grip strength and rate of change in strength on all-cause mortality over 40 years. Lower and declining strength are associated with increased mortality, independent of physical activity and muscle mass. In men <60 years, rate of loss of strength was more important than the actual levels. In men >/=60 years, strength was more protective than the rate of loss, which persisted when muscle mass was considered. Strength and rate of change in strength contribute to the impact of sarcopenia on mortality. Although muscle mass and physical activity are important, they do not completely account for the impact of strength and changes in strength.
authors.affiliation: National Institute on Aging, Gerontology Research Center, Baltimore, Maryland 21224, USA. metterj@grc.nia.nih.gov
authors.forename: E Jeffrey
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Metter
authors.forename: Laura A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Talbot
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schrager
authors.forename: Robin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Conwit
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015142:Baltimore; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D018737:Hand Strength / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012016:Reference Values; D012307:Risk Factors; D016019:Survival Analysis