Handgrip strength is associated with dyspnoea and functional exercise capacity in male patients with stable COPD.

<sec id="st1"> <title>SETTINGS</title> Handgrip strength (HGS) is widely used to evaluate nutrition and adverse outcomes in several diseases. However, the relationship between HGS and the parameters of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are not known. </sec> <sec id="st2"> <title>OBJECTIVE</title> To evaluate HGS in male patients with stable COPD, and to assess its correlation with dyspnoea and functional exercise capacity. </sec> <sec id="st3"> <title>DESIGN</title> We recruited 116 male out-patients with stable COPD from a general hospital in China between February and December 2017. For each patient, we recorded demographic characteristics and measured pulmonary function, dyspnoea, exercise capacity, body composition and HGS. </sec> <sec id="st4"> <title>RESULTS</title> HGS had a significantly positive correlation with muscle mass, lung function, and 6-min walking distance (6MWD) and a negative correlation with the modified Medical Research Council dyspnoea score. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that combining age, fat-free mass (FFM), 6MWD and duration of COPD accounted for 43.1% of the total variance in HGS. </sec> <sec id="st5"> <title>CONCLUSION</title> HGS was correlated with dyspnoea and exercise capacity. Aging and disease could alter upper limb muscle strength in COPD patients. Hence, HGS might be a simple method for assessing muscle function and for identifying patients with a noticeable reduction in HGS, who will need early, multidisciplinary intervention. </sec>.