Grip strength, functional capacity, and quality of life of individuals with cancer

ABSTRACT This study aims to evaluate strength, functional capacity, and quality of life in individuals with cancer, compared with predicted values of healthy individuals, as well as to determine whether strength and functional capacity predict quality of life in this population. Fifty individuals with cancer were evaluated according to strength (dynamometer Crown), functional capacity (Glittre ADL test) and quality of life (SF-36). Results were compared with predicted reference values for healthy individuals, matched for age and gender, by the two-sample Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. Spearman’s correlation coefficient was used to evaluate the correlations between variables. Multiple linear regression was used to investigate whether strength and functional capacity predict quality of life. There is significant difference (p<0.01) for strength, functional capacity, and quality of life, between individuals with cancer and the predicted in healthy individuals. There was a significant correlation between strength and functional capacity (ρ=-0.58; p<0.01), strength and quality of life (ρ=0.46; p<0.01), and quality of life and functional capacity (ρ=-0.51; p<0.01). Regression analysis showed that functional capacity is a predictor of quality of life and, alone, can explain 20% (R2=0.195) of this variable. Thus, individuals with cancer showed significant decrease in strength, functional capacity, and quality of life, when compared to predicted values. Moreover, all these variables are correlated, mainly functional capacity and quality of life.

摘要
本研究旨在评估癌症患者的肌力、功能能力与生活质量，并与年龄、性别匹配的健康人群预测参考值进行对比，同时明确该人群中肌力与功能能力是否可预测其生活质量。本研究共纳入50名癌症患者，分别通过Crown型握力测力计评估其肌力、采用Glittre日常生活活动能力（ADL）测试评估其功能能力、使用SF-36量表评估其生活质量。研究采用两独立样本柯尔莫哥洛夫-斯米尔诺夫（Kolmogorov-Smirnov）检验，将上述结果与健康人群的预测参考值进行比较；采用Spearman相关系数分析各变量间的相关性；采用多重线性回归探究肌力与功能能力对生活质量的预测作用。结果显示，癌症患者的肌力、功能能力与生活质量均与健康人群的预测参考值存在显著差异（p<0.01）。各变量间均存在显著相关性：肌力与功能能力（ρ=-0.58；p<0.01）、肌力与生活质量（ρ=0.46；p<0.01）、生活质量与功能能力（ρ=-0.51；p<0.01）。回归分析表明，功能能力可预测患者的生活质量，单独即可解释该变量20%的变异（R²=0.195）。综上，与健康人群的预测参考值相比，癌症患者的肌力、功能能力与生活质量均显著下降；且上述各变量间均存在相关性，其中功能能力与生活质量的相关性尤为突出。