Isj. Merkies et al., Assessing grip strength in healthy individuals and patients with immune-mediated polyneuropathies, MUSCLE NERV, 23(9), 2000, pp. 1393-1401
Grip strength reference values for a portable dynamometer, the hand-held Vi
gorimeter, were calculated, and its validity, reliability, and responsivene
ss were examined in patients with immune-mediated polyneuropathies. We stud
ied 530 healthy controls (age 5-93 years), 113 patients with stable polyneu
ropathy (83 with Guillain-Barre syndrome [GBS], 22 with chronic inflammator
y demyelinating polyneuropathy [CIDP], and 8 with a gammopathy-associated p
olyneuropathy), and 20 patients with GBS or CIDP and changing clinical cond
itions (longitudinal group). An arm-disability scale was also assessed. Gri
p-strength reference values were calculated depending primarily on age and
gender. Significant association was obtained between the Vigorimeter and th
e arm scale tin stable group, Spearman rank: r = -0.52 to -0.62; P less tha
n or equal to 0.0005; in longitudinal group, linear regressions: r = 0.62-0
.64, P < 0.0001). Good interobserver and intraobserver agreements (analysis
of variance, r = 0.95-0.97) and high responsiveness (standardized response
mean scores greater than or equal to 0.8) were demonstrated for the Vigori
meter. These results emphasize the clinical usefulness of the Vigorimeter,
particularly in patients with immune-mediated polyneuropathies, (C) 2000 Jo
hn Wiley & Sons, Inc.