Associations of grip strength and walking pace with mortality in stroke survivors: a prospective study from UK Biobank

Soltanisarvestani, M., Lynskey, N., Gray, S. , Gill, J. M.R. , Pell, J. P. , Sattar, N. , Welsh, P. , Ho, F. K., Celis-Morales, C. and Petermann-Rocha, F. (2023) Associations of grip strength and walking pace with mortality in stroke survivors: a prospective study from UK Biobank. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports, 33(7), pp. 1190-1200. (doi: 10.1111/sms.14352) (PMID:36932055)

Abstract

Introduction: Although stroke is an emerging cause of disability and mortality globally, associations between physical capability markers and mortality in stroke survivors are elusive. This study investigated the individual and combined associations of walking pace and grip strength with all-cause and stroke mortality in stroke survivors. Methods: Individual and combined associations of walking pace and grip strength with stroke deaths and all-cause mortality were investigated using Cox proportional-hazard models adjusted for sociodemographic, lifestyle, and health-related variables. Results: Seven thousand four hundred eighty-six stroke survivors from the UK Biobank study (aged 40–70 years; 42.4% women) were included in this prospective study. Over a median follow-up of 12.6 (IQR: 11.9–13.3) years, 1490 (19.9%) participants died, of whom 222 (3.0%) died from stroke. After adjusting for confounding factors, and compared to individuals in the average/brisk walking pace category, those who reported a slow walking pace had 2.00 (95% CI: 1.50–2.68) and 1.99 (95% CI: 1.78–2.23) times higher risk of stroke mortality and all-cause mortality, respectively. Similar associations were identified for participants with low grip strength compared with those with normal levels. For combined associations, those with both slow walking pace and low grip strength showed the highest risk of stroke mortality (hazard ratio: 2.86 [95% CI: 1.93–4.22]). Similar results were found for all-cause mortality. Conclusions: Low grip strength and slow walking pace were associated with a higher risk of stroke and all-cause mortality in stroke survivors. If these associations are causal, improving physical capability among stroke survivors might potentially prolong survival.

• Item Type: Articles
• Additional Information: UK Biobank was established by the Wellcome Trust medical charity, Medical Research Council, Department of Health, Scottish Government, and the Northwest Regional Development Agency. It has also had funding from the Welsh Assembly Government and the British Heart Foundation.
• Keywords: stroke, grip strength, walking speed, survival, mortality.
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Celis, Dr Carlos and Gray, Professor Stuart and Ho, Dr Frederick and Gill, Professor Jason and Welsh, Professor Paul and Pell, Professor Jill and Petermann-Rocha, Mrs Fanny and Sattar, Professor Naveed
• Authors: Soltanisarvestani, M., Lynskey, N., Gray, S., Gill, J. M.R., Pell, J. P., Sattar, N., Welsh, P., Ho, F. K., Celis-Morales, C., and Petermann-Rocha, F.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Cardiovascular & Metabolic Health; College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Health & Wellbeing > Public Health
• Journal Name: Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports
• Publisher: Wiley
• ISSN: 0905-7188
• ISSN (Online): 1600-0838
• Published Online: 17 March 2023
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2023 John Wiley & Sons A/S
• First Published: First published in Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports 33(7):1190-1200
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the publisher copyright policy