Relationship between adductor pollicis muscle thickness and functional capacity in older people

Adductor pollicis muscle thickness (APMT) has been used as a marker of muscle mass, which is influenced by the physiological changes of aging, and it is interesting to investigate its relationship with functional capacity in older people. The objective was to analyze the relationship APMT and functional capacity. Men and women ≥ 60 years of age were recruited from a geriatric clinic. Data were collected on sociodemographic characteristics, anthropometric measures and APMT, dependence on activities of daily living. A p-value <0.05 was considered indicative of a statistically significant association. One hundred thirty-nine older people participated. Mean APMT was 12.96 ± 3.20 mm for the dominant hand and 12.09 ± 3.11 mm for the non-dominant hand and was larger in men. Most (58.3%) of the participants were independent regarding the performance of activities of daily living. Lower functional capacity score was found in individuals with APMT below the cutoff point (p = 0.019). The findings lend strength to the use of APMT as a complementary measure for nutritional assessments and the importance of preserving muscle mass and preventing malnutrition in older people.