Gripping Insights: Relative Muscle Strength and Its Association with Hypertension and Prehypertension: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Abstract Background: Hypertension and muscle strength are known to be associated; however, identifying simple clinical indicators of this relationship ischallenging. Relative muscle strength (RMS), defined as strength per unit muscle mass, has been proposed as a potential indicator, but its association with hypertension is unclear. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between RMS and hypertension in middle-aged and older adults. Methods: This hospital-based cross-sectional study included 430 adults attending outpatient medicine clinics from January to October 2023. Grip strength and appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASM), estimated using a validated formula, were also measured. The RMS was calculated as grip strength/ASM. Hypertension was defined using standard criteria. Logistic regression was used to analyse the relationship between RMS and hypertension, adjusting for confounders. Results: The prevalence of prehypertension and hypertension was 43% and 23%, respectively. According to the adjusted analysis, a higher RMS was associated with 33% lower odds of prehypertension (OR=0.67, 95% CI=0.49-0.91) and 26% lower odds of hypertension (OR=0.74, 95% CI=0.59-0.89) than was the lowest RMS tertile. RMS also showed strong negative correlations with systolic and diastolic blood pressure (r=-0.549 and -0.418, respectively; p<0.001). Conclusion: Increased relative muscle strength was significantly protective against prehypertension and hypertension. Maintaining muscle quality through resistance exercise or other approaches may promote hypertension prevention.