ABSTRACT
Objectives: Hand grip strength (HGS) is an important quantitative measure to evaluate the overall muscle strength of an individual. It is affected by factors such as age, sex, body mass index (BMI) and cardiovascular risk factors such as obesity and hypertension. This study aims to find out the correlation of BMI with HGS and blood pressure indices among young adults. Materials and Methods: Three hundred and eighty-two medical students between the age group of 18–20 years with no history of systemic illness, musculoskeletal disorder, hand pain or deformity were selected. Informed consent was obtained. Biodata and anthropometric measurements were documented in a proforma. HGS and endurance of the dominant hand were measured using a hand-held dynamometer. Blood pressure was recorded using a mercury sphygmomanometer. Data on BMI was sub grouped into underweight, normal weight, overweight and obese participants to compare the HGS among them. Results: There was a statistically significant negative correlation between BMI and HGS (r = ?0.513; P < 0.01), BMI and grip strength ratio (r = ?0.750; P < 0.01), and between BMI and handgrip endurance (r = ?0.359; P < 0.01). Statistically significant decrease in HGS was found among underweight (29.36 ± 7.01), overweight (26.18 ± 5.45) and obese participants (20.48 ± 3.12) with Kruskal–Wallis value ?2 = 14.231. Furthermore, a statistically significant positive correlation was found between BMI and systolic blood pressure (r = 0.603; P < 0.01), BMI and diastolic blood pressure (r = 0.514; P < 0.01), BMI and pulse pressure (r = 0.228; P < 0.01) and between BMI and mean arterial pressure (r = 0.572; P < 0.01). Conclusion: BMI was found to be negatively correlated with HGS and positively correlated with blood pressure indices. This can influence the compatibility of medical students with the physical and emotional stress of course. Determinants such as grip span, hand span, skeletal muscle bulk, and arm and calf muscle circumference are to be considered for further research to improve the endurance of young adults.
ABSTRACT
Sickle cell disease is the commonest haemoglobinopathy. Anaemia leads to a hyperdynamic circulation, decreased systemic resistance, and sickle polymerization causing hyperviscosity, natriuresis and hyposthenuria that blunt the maximal plasma volume expansion interplay to affect blood pressure indices. Asian and African continents have a high share of sickle cell population, being historically malaria endemic areas. These populations have previously witnessed early death due to complications from sickle cell disease. With the recent advanced therapeutic approaches, sickle cell patients are surviving beyond adulthood. Increased survival has resulted in a new subset of sickle cell patients which is exposed to the effects of persistent haemolytic anaemia and the haemodynamic alterations. These effects have not been studied in sickle cell patients in the state of Chhattisgarh. Most of the studies conclude that sickle subjects have lower systolic, diastolic and mean blood pressure and higher pulse pressure. METHODSParticipants were all sickle cell anaemia patients with SS pattern under the age group 8 to 18 yrs. from the Paediatric Department of the Pt J N M Medical College and associated Dr B R A M Hospital, Raipur and the controls were healthy age matched patients without any haemoglobinopathy. This study documented blood pressure indices - systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, mean blood pressure and pulse pressure in children with sickle cell disease and comparable controls presenting to a tertiary medical college hospital in Chhattisgarh. RESULTSThe present cross sectional study reveals no difference in these blood pressure indices of systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, mean blood pressure and pulse pressure between sickle and control subjects. Data was tabulated for 50 patients of sickle cell disease and 50 healthy controls without any haemoglobinopathy. The study concluded that the mean systolic blood pressure in sickle cell patients and control group was 119.46 ± 8.32 & 117.14 ± 8.10 (p=0.161), the diastolic blood pressure was 73.42 ± 7.88 & 72.60 ± 6.62 (p=0.575), mean blood pressure was 137.71 ± 11.44 & 135.85 ± 9.91 (p=0.385) and the pulse pressure was 46.04 ± 10.13 & 44.52 ± 9.00 (p=0.430) respectively. CONCLUSIONSThe blood pressure indices in sickle cell patients in India vary from those observed in other studies from other countries. It is possible that the sickle population in the present study may be having relative systemic hypertension that can be ascertained with future studies.