Hand grip strength and fatigability: correlation with clinical parameters and diagnostic suitability in ME/CFS

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Conflicts of Interest

Identified Weaknesses

Rating Explanation

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Paper Summary

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Weak Grip, Strong Evidence? Handgrip Strength Predicts Fatigue in ME/CFS

This study found that people with ME/CFS have weaker handgrip strength and experience more fatigue during repeated handgrip exercises compared to healthy controls and those with cancer-related fatigue. This suggests that handgrip strength could be a useful tool for diagnosing and assessing ME/CFS.

Possible Conflicts of Interest

The study received funding from the Weidenhammer Zöbele foundation, but no other conflicts of interest were declared.

Identified Weaknesses

Specificity of HGS

The study acknowledges that reduced handgrip strength isn't unique to ME/CFS, as it's also observed in cancer-related fatigue. This limits its use as a standalone diagnostic tool.

Influence of inactivity

Handgrip strength can be affected by overall inactivity levels. While the study claims this influence is less than in leg muscles, it's still a confounding factor that could affect the results, especially given the debilitating nature of ME/CFS.

Lack of inactive control group

The ideal control group would include physically inactive healthy individuals matched by age to better isolate the effects of ME/CFS on handgrip strength.

Rating Explanation

The study uses a relatively large sample size and objective measurements to explore a clinically relevant question in ME/CFS. While the lack of specificity and potential confounders limit the immediate applicability of the findings, it provides valuable insights into muscle function and potential diagnostic tools for ME/CFS.

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