Espessura do músculo adutor do polegar em idosos hospitalizados: relação com sexo e idade

Objective: To relate the adductor pollicis muscle thickness of hospitalized elderly patients to sex and age.  Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted, from May 2014 through April 2015, with a convenience sample of 119 elderly patients, hospitalized in a geriatric unit of a university hospital of Porto Alegre-RS, Brazil. The adductor pollicis muscle thickness values of the dominant and non-dominant hand were measured using a Lange® skinfold caliper. Student t-tests were used for both paired and independent data. Results: The mean age was 82.3±8.1 years (60 to 97 years) and the majority of the patients were female (62.2%). The mean adductor pollicis muscle thickness value in the total sample was 14.96±4.62mm and no significant difference was verified between dominant and non-dominant hand. Men presented significantly higher mean values than women in both hands (Dominant – men: 16.79±4.21mm; women: 13.99±4.39mm; Non-dominant – men: 16.58±4.13mm; women: 13.84±4.78mm). A weak inverse correlation was observed between the adductor pollicis muscle thickness and age in both hands (Dominant – r=-0.300; Nondominant – r=-0.308). It was also verified a significant difference between the means of the adductor pollicis muscle thickness and age group in both hands (Dominant: 60-79 years: 16.63±4.25mm; ≥80 years: 14.27±4.47mm; Non-dominant – 60-79 years: 16.47±394mm; ≥80 years: 14.10±4.90mm). Conclusion: In hospitalized elderly patients, the adductor pollicis muscle thickness was greater among younger individuals (60-79 years) and in males.