Hand Grip Strength as a Predictor of Postoperative Complications Following Resection in Patients with Primary Liver Cancer: A Retrospective Cohort study

Abstract Background: The incidence of complications after hepatectomy for primary liver cancer (PLC) remains high. In this regard, a rapid, simple and inexpensive method is needed to assess the nutritional status of patients before surgery. This study aimed to determine the predictive value of hand grip strength (HGS) for postoperative complications of PLC. Methods: This retrospective study was conducted at a university hospital. A total of 147 patients with PLC who underwent liver resection were enrolled. HGS was measured using an electronic hand dynamometer. According to Clavien–Dindo classification, grade 2 or higher was considered as postoperative complication. The correlations between HGS and age/nutritional assessment tools were analysed using Spearman correlation test. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the risk factors for complications. Results: About 25.2% of the patients had low HGS. The incidence rates of postoperative complications were 35.14% in the low-HGS group and 21.82% in the high-HGS group. HGS was negatively correlated with age (P < 0.05) in both sexes. Multivariate analysis showed that low HGS [odd ratio (OR) = 2.97, 95% CI: 1.07-8.25, P = 0.04] was related to postoperative complications in the total population. Conclusion: HGS is a risk factor for postoperative complications. Additional long-term studies are needed to confirm HGS as a valuable indicator before surgery.