Combined adductor pollicis muscle thickness and handgrip strength as predictive indicators for risk stratification of low muscle mass and low bone mass in adult women.

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether the combined assessment of low handgrip strength (HGS) and low adductor pollicis muscle thickness (APMT) represents a simple and integrated risk stratification approach for identifying adult women at increased likelihood of low muscle mass and low bone mass. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 296 adult women aged 24-59 years were evaluated. HGS and APMT were measured using a manual dynamometer and anthropometric calipers, respectively. Muscle mass, bone mineral density, and femoral geometry were assessed through dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Low muscle mass and low bone mass were defined using established criteria. Low HGS and low APMT were categorized using data-derived cutoffs obtained through receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. Associations were examined using adjusted linear and logistic regression models. RESULTS: Both HGS and APMT were independently associated with muscle mass (P < 0.001) and femoral bone outcomes (P = 0.001 and P = 0.005, respectively). When categorized, the combination of low HGS and low APMT showed stronger associations with reduced muscle mass and low bone mass (OR: 7.52, 95% CI: 2.88-19.63; P < 0.001), including the femoral neck (OR: 7.20, 95% CI: 2.34-22.16; P < 0.001), lumbar spine (OR: 3.28, 95% CI: 1.02-10.56; P = 0.047), and at least one site (OR: 4.47, 95% CI: 1.62-12.36; P = 0.004). CONCLUSION: The combined assessment of HGS and APMT captures complementary dimensions of musculoskeletal health and may serve as a practical approach for preliminary risk stratification, particularly in resource-limited settings where access to standard diagnostic methods, such as dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, remains limited.