title: Evaluation of factors influencing grip strength in elderly koreans.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Grip strength has been used as a measure of function in various health-related conditions. Although grip strength is known to be affected by both physical and psychological factors, few studies have looked at those factors comprehensively in a population-based cohort regarding elderly Koreans. The aim of this study was to evaluate potential factors influencing grip strength in elderly Koreans.
  
  
  METHODS
  We evaluated dominant hand grip strengths in 143 men and 123 women older than 65 years who participated in a population-based cohort study, the Korean Longitudinal Study on Health and Aging (KLoSHA). Individuals who had a history of surgery for musculoskeletal disease or trauma in the upper extremity were excluded. Factors assessed for potential association with grip strength were; 1) demographics such as age and gender, 2) body constructs such as height, body mass index (BMI), and bone mineral density (BMD), 3) upper extremity functional status using disabilities of the arm, shoulder and hand (DASH) scores, and 4) mental health status using a depression scale and the short form-36 (SF36) mental health score. Multivariate analyses were performed in order to identify factors independently associated with grip strength.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Grip strengths of dominant hands in elderly Koreans were found to generally decrease with aging, and were significantly different between men and women, as expected. Multivariate analyses indicated that grip strength was independently associated with age, height and BMI in men (R(2) = 21.3%), and age and height (R(2) = 19.7%) in women. BMD, upper extremity functional status, or mental health status were not found to be associated with grip strength.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrates that in elderly Koreans, grip strength is mainly influenced by age and height in both men and women, and additionally by BMI in men. BMD or self-reported physical or mental health status was not found to influence grip strength in elderly Koreans. This information may be helpful in future studies using grip strength as a measure of function in elderly Koreans.
authors: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea.
authors: Jung Eun
authors: JE
authors: Lee
authors: Department of Neuropsychiatry, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea.
authors: Ki Woong
authors: KW
authors: Kim
authors: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea.
authors: Nam-Jong
authors: NJ
authors: Paik
authors: Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea.
authors: Hak Chul
authors: HC
authors: Jang
authors: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea.
authors: Chong Bum
authors: CB
authors: Chang
authors: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea.
authors: Goo Hyun
authors: GH
authors: Baek
authors: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea.
authors: Young Ho
authors: YH
authors: Lee
authors: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea.
authors: Hyun Sik
authors: HS
authors: Gong
keywords: Factors; Grip strength; Influence; Koreans