Relationship between exercise capacity and grip strength in a cohort of older cardiac outpatients

Background: Progressive ageing of the population has highlighted the importance of the relationship between physical function and frailty in patients with chronic disease. The aim of this study was to assess the association between exercise capacity and grip strength (GS) in a cohort of older patients involved in an exercise-based secondary prevention program. Methods: 65 outpatients (aged 75±6 years) were included. Exercise capacity was assessed through the estimation of maximal oxygen consumption (VO2peak) and the measurement of walking speed (WS). GS was evaluated in the dominant arm using a hand-held dynamometer. Results: Patients with higher VO2peak and WS values exhibited significantly higher GS (p<0.01). GS was significantly related to WS (p<0.01) and VO2peak (p<0.01), and inversely associated with age (p<0.01). Results from linear multiple regression analysis (p<0.01) demonstrate that GS was strongly associated with WS (p<0.01) and age (p=0.01), while BMI, weekly LTPA, cardiovascular diagnosis, VO2peak and education were not. Conclusions: The evaluation of WS, VO2peak and GS was feasible and well tolerated. These preliminary results suggest that prescribing regular walking activity, educating subjects to perform it at higher average WS, can help to maintain physical function in older patients with cardiovascular disease.