Investigation of the muscle strength of the older adults using different assessment tools in the hospital admission

Abstract

Introduction: Hospitalization-associated muscle weakness predicts functional decline among older adult patients hospitalized for acute conditions and is associated with prolonged hospitalization, increased post-discharge care burden, risk of disability, risk of mortality, and medical expenses. The objective was to investigate the muscle strength of hospitalized older adults using different assessment tools at hospital admission. Methods: older adults admitted to the Internal Medicine and Cardiology units of a public hospital in 2021 and 2022 participated. Muscle strength was assessed using the Five Times Sit-to-Stand Test (STS), handgrip dynamometry, and the Medical Research Council (MRC). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results: The analyzes were carried out with data from 72 older adults (60 to 90 years old). Most were male, eutrophic or overweight, and sedentary. Muscle weakness was observed in 56.9% of the older adults assessed using the handgrip dynamometry, 55.6% of the older adults assessed using the STS, and 12.5% of the older adults assessed using the MRC. Conclusions: These findings reveal a higher frequency of muscle weakness in the assessments of the Five Times Sit-to-Stand Test (STS) and handgrip dynamometry and a lower frequency of muscle weakness when investigated using the MRC. They also reflect an essential variation in the frequency of muscle weakness identified through different assessment tools in hospitalized older adults.