Associação entre sintomas depressivos e força de preensão palmar em idosos comunitários: dados da rede fibra

Abstract

The presence of depressive symptoms in the older adult population is associated with multimorbidities that significantly compromise their health and functionality. From a biopsychosocial perspective, changes in the biological, physical, psychological, social and cultural spheres influence the impairment of mobility and independence, development of disabilities and reduced physical function. Negative repercussions on the musculoskeletal system, such as reduced muscle strength measured by handgrip strength, have been related to brain functions and cognitive changes. In this context, the bidirectional relationship between depressive symptoms and reduced muscle strength has been investigated because they share common mechanisms. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the association between depressive symptoms and handgrip muscle strength in individuals over 65 years of age living in the community. This is an observational, cross-sectional study based on secondary data from the database of a population-based epidemiological study which evaluated 8,608 community-dwelling older adults in Brazil over 65 years of age. The presence of depressive symptoms was investigated using the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) and muscle strength was assessed by measuring handgrip strength with a manual dynamometer. Multiple linear regression models using the Stepwise method were used in the analyses, and the multiple determination coefficient (r2) to quantify the strength of the association between depressive symptoms and muscle strength. The f-test was used to determine statistical significance, considering p<0.05. The results of the study were presented with a sample of 6,762 community-dwelling older adults from different regions of the country. There was a prevalence of positive screening for depression of 13.5%, a total mean of 73.17 (±6.22) years of age, the majority of the sample was overweight, had the presence of 1.87 (±1.44) associated diseases, and did not report alcohol or cigarette consumption. An inverse relationship was observed between depressive symptoms and handgrip strength. This relationship was maintained even after controlling for the variables age, gender, education, black race, alcohol consumption, smoking, BMI and number of associated diseases. The associations were significant, with p<0.05. These results point to the importance of investigating the presence of depressive symptoms in the older adult population for a preventive approach to muscle strength loss and its harmful consequences for the functionality of older adults.