Handgrip strength and health outcomes in hospitalized children or children with chronic disease: A systematic review.

Handgrip strength (HGS) is a simple measurement of maximum voluntary muscle strength and is widely used as a single indicator of overall muscle strength. This systematic review summarized the evidence about the relation between HGS and health outcomes in hospitalized children or chronically ill children. The primary outcome was the number of hospital days in a 2-month period for outpatients and the length of hospital stay for inpatients.