title: Impact of hemodialysis session on handgrip strength.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Handgrip strength (HGS) is a simple and reliable method with a good predictive clinical value for assessing muscle function of patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD). However, there is no consensus regarding the appropriate moment for performing the HGS measurement since the performance of the HGS can be influenced by fluid, electrolyte and blood pressure changes that affect patients on HD.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the impact of the dialysis session on the HGS in patients undergoing HD.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a cross-sectional study with 156 patients [57.7% male, median age of 56.5 (42-67) years old, 28.8% diabetes, mean BMI of 24.75 ± 4.5 kg/m2 and HD vintage of 38 (19.25 to 72.75) months]. Measures of HGS were performed with a dynamometer during the initial minutes of the HD session and at the end of the session. The values obtained were compared with a national standard reference. Clinical, demographic and laboratory data were collected from medical records.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A significant reduction of HGS was observed after the HD session (28.6 ± 11.4 kg to 27.7 ± 11.7 kg; p < 0.01). The prevalence of patients with HGS below the 30th percentile increased from 44.9% to 55.1% (p < 0.01). The decrease in blood pressure during dialysis was the only factor associated with the reduction of HGS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings show that the HD procedure affects negatively the HGS.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ana Paula
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Pinto
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Christiane Ishikawa
authors.initials: CI
authors.lastname: Ramos
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marion Schneider
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Meireles
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria Ayako
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Kamimura
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Lilian
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cuppari
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001794:Blood Pressure; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D018737:Hand Strength; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D053581:Muscle Strength Dynamometer; D015995:Prevalence; D006435:Renal Dialysis