Evidence map›Paper›PMID 26790455›Full record

SynthesisAge and ageing2016

Global variation in grip strength: a systematic review and meta-analysis of normative data.

Richard M Dodds, Holly E Syddall, Rachel Cooper, Diana Kuh, Cyrus Cooper, Avan Aihie Sayer

Open access · bronzeAbstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Age and ageing, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 207 papers, 10 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
207citing papers in PubMed, 10 pooled it
17.7field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

207 citing papers in PubMed, 10 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 360 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Frailty in COPD: Clinical Impact, Diagnosis, Biomarkers, and Management Strategies.International journal of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease · 2025
    Pooled it
  4. Pooled it
  5. Pooled it
  6. Pooled it
  7. Pooled it
  8. Pooled it
  9. Pooled it
  10. Pooled it
  11. Trial
  12. Trial
  13. Trial
  14. Trial
  15. Trial
  16. Trial
  17. Nitric-Oxide-Inducing Factors on Vitamin D Changes in Older People Susceptible to Suffer from Sarcopenia.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022
    Trial
  18. Trial
  19. Trial
  20. Trial

147 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 5 institutions in 1 country.

Richard M DoddsMedical Research Council Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK Academic Geriatric Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.
Holly E SyddallMedical Research Council Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.
Rachel CooperMedical Research Council Unit for Lifelong Health and Ageing at UCL, London, UK.
Diana KuhMedical Research Council Unit for Lifelong Health and Ageing at UCL, London, UK.
Cyrus CooperMedical Research Council Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK National Institute for Health Research Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, University of Southampton and University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, UK National Institute for Health Research Musculoskeletal Biomedical Research Unit, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
Avan Aihie SayerMedical Research Council Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK Academic Geriatric Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK National Institute for Health Research Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, University of Southampton and University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, UK National Institute for Health Research Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care, Wessex, UK Newcastle University Institute for Ageing and Institute of Health and Society, Newcastle University, Newcastle, UK.
University College London · GBMedical Research Council · GBNational Institute for Health Research · GBUniversity of Oxford · GBUniversity of Southampton · GB

Funding

Medical Research Council MC_U147585819Medical Research Council MC_U147585824Medical Research Council MC_U147585827Medical Research Council MC_UP_A620_1014Medical Research Council MC_UP_A620_1015Medical Research Council MC_UU_12011/1Medical Research Council MC_UU_12011/2Medical Research Council MC_UU_12019/1Medical Research Council MC_UU_12019/4
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundweak grip strength is a key component of sarcopenia and is associated with subsequent disability and mortality. We have recently established life course normative data for grip strength in Great Britain, but it is unclear whether the cut points we derived for weak grip strength are suitable for use in other settings. Our objective was to investigate differences in grip strength by world region using our data as a reference standard.

methodswe searched MEDLINE and EMBASE for reporting age- and gender-stratified normative data for grip strength. We extracted each item of normative data and converted it on to a Z-score scale relative to our British centiles. We performed meta-regression to pool the Z-scores and compare them by world region.

findingsour search returned 806 abstracts. Sixty papers met inclusion criteria and reported on 63 different samples. Seven UN regions were represented, although most samples (n = 44) were based in developed regions. We extracted 726 normative data items relating to 96,537 grip strength observations. Normative data from developed regions were broadly similar to our British centiles, with a pooled Z-score 0.12 SDs (95% CI: 0.07, 0.17) above the corresponding British centiles. By comparison, normative data from developing regions were clearly lower, with a pooled Z-score of -0.85 SDs (95% CI: -0.94, -0.76).

interpretationour findings support the use of our British grip strength centiles and their associated cut points in consensus definitions for sarcopenia and frailty across developed regions, but highlight the need for different cut points in developing regions.

Indexed as

AgingHand StrengthHealth Status IndicatorsAdolescentAdultAgedAged, 80 and overAge FactorsConsensusFemaleFrail ElderlyGeriatric AssessmentHumansMaleMiddle AgedMuscle Weaknessgrip strengthinternationalold peoplesarcopeniasystematic review

Identifiers

PMID26790455
PMCPMC4776623
OpenAlexW2271660910

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.