Hiroshi Kishimoto, Arito Yozu, Yutaka Kohno, Hirotaka Oose
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Ibaraki Prefectural University of Health Sciences, 300-0394 Ami, Japan. E-mail: kishimotoh@ipu.ac.jp
DOI: 10.2340/16501977-2655

Objective: To investigate the relationship between changes in nutritional status and the functional outcome of adult post-stroke patients hospitalized for rehabilitation.
Design: A cross-sectional study.
Subjects: Post-stroke patients (n = 134) who were admitted to a convalescent rehabilitation ward.
Methods: On admission and discharge, the nutritional status of each subject was assessed using the “controlling nutritional status” system. Activities of daily living were assessed using the Functional Independence Measure (FIM). Patients were divided into 2 categories: (i) those whose nutritional status improved or remained normal during the rehabilitation; and (ii) all others.
Results: The median age of patients was 65. 5 years. Although there were no significant differences between the 2 categories in most characteristics, the FIM efficiency was significantly higher (0. 230 in the improved category and 0. 133 in the other; p < 0. 001). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that the improved category as a variable was independently associated with greater FIM efficiency (p < 0. 001).
Conclusion: Improvement or maintenance of nutritional status was associated with better functional recovery in post-stroke rehabilitation in adult patients of all ages.

This study was conducted to investigate the relationship between functional recovery and nutritional status of adult post-stroke patients hospitalized for rehabilitation. Each patient’s nutritional status and activities of daily living were evaluated on admission and discharge. The 134 enrolled patients were divided into 2 categories: improved or normal nutrition and poor or decreased nutrition. Their functional recovery was better in the category with improved nutritional status. This study significantly augments the results of previous studies focussing on changes in nutritional status and post-stroke rehabilitation outcomes in patients aged >65 years by studying adult patients of all ages.