Handgrip strength as an independent predictor of mortality in chronic kidney disease patients undergoing hemodialysis: A prospective cohort - Gomes Brandão Rodrigues, Vanessa; Vitor Santos, Joyce Noelly; da Silva Lage, Vanessa Kelly; Marcelino Martins, Inara Caroline; Assis Madeira, Elisângela Andrade; Viana Figueiredo, Gabriel; Paes Toledo, Larissa; Cunha, Tamara; Rocha, Jéssica Stéfany; Rodrigues Silva, Vitória Emanuelli; Lopes Alves, Frederico; Mendes Prates, Maria Cecília Sales; et al. (Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies, 2026)
Background Patients with end-stage chronic kidney disease (CKD) in hemodialysis treatment present a high index of mortality. Some studies found that mass and muscle strength are predictors of mortality in this population. However, these studies focused on older patients and residents of regions with high socioeconomic levels. Therefore, this study aimed to assess whether handgrip strength (HGS) is an independent predictor of mortality in patients with CKD undergoing hemodialysis in a low-HDI region in Brazil. Methods The prospective observational study was conducted among patients undergoing hemodialysis at a Brazilian public dialysis center, with baseline measurements taken in 2019. Handgrip strength (HGS), clinical, and biochemical parameters were evaluated at baseline. Results One hundred fourteen (51.9 years, 38.6 % females) composed the sample. After 36 months of follow-up, approximately 27 % of the patients died. In Cox regression analysis, only HGS (HR: 0.94 [95 % CI 0.90–0.98]; p = 0.004) and age (HR: 1.03 [95 % CI 1.01–1.06]; p = 0.016) were identified as independent predictors of mortality. The HGS ≤28 kg (AUC: 0.71 [95 % CI 0.62–0.79]) in the general population was the optimal cutoff value to predict death in the sample. In the male population, a cutoff value of 24 kg (AUC: [95 % CI 0.53–0.86]) was found, and for the female population, it was 21 kg (AUC: 0.63 [95 % CI 0.46–0.80]). Conclusion The HGS may provide valuable prognostic information on mortality in patients undergoing hemodialysis in areas with low socioeconomic development indices.
Keywords: journalArticle; Chronic kidney disease; Handgrip strength; Hemodialysis; Mortality