Attenuated Maximal Muscle Strength and Peak Power in Children With Sickle Cell Disease

Dominant hand maximal handgrip strength evaluated with a handgrip dynamometer and peak power evaluated with a force plate, adjusted for body size and composition, were compared in African-American children aged 5 to 13 years, with and without type SS sickle cell disease (SCD-SS). Children with SCD-SS (n = 35; age, 9.0 +/- 2.0 y) compared with healthy control children (n = 103; age, 8.6 +/- 1.8 y) did not differ by age, sex, or pubertal status, yet had significantly lower Z scores for height, weight, body mass index, upper arm muscle area, upper arm fat area, fat mass-for-height and lean mass-for-height. Children with SCD-SS had significantly lower handgrip strength (12.7 +/- 3.3 vs. 15.2 +/- 5.1 kg, P < 0.008), peak power (882 +/- 298 vs. 1167 +/- 384 W, P < 0.001), and growth and body composition adjusted Z scores for handgrip strength (0.6 +/- 1.3 standard deviations, P < 0.004) and peak power (male children = 1.0 +/- 0.8 standard deviations, P < 0.0002; female children = 1.0 +/- 1.7 standard deviations, P < 0.006). Maximal muscle strength and peak power are attenuated in children with SCD-SS compared with healthy control children beyond expectation for growth and body composition deficits suggesting that additional factors contribute to attenuation in anaerobic performance.