Article

Nutrition's impact on stroke rehabilitation outcomes is
controversial. Existing studies utilize albumin without correcting for
inflammation in nutritional assessments. Here, prealbumin was used and
inflammation assessed to determine if nutrition impacts rehabilitation outcomes.
OBJECTIVE: Determine the effect of dietary intake on prealbumin level, number of
complications, length of stay, and Functional Independence Measure (FIM)
efficiency in rehabilitation stroke inpatients. METHODS: Patients had admission
and discharge prealbumin and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels drawn; and, weekly
protein and calorie counts obtained. Patients were followed for number of
complications, length of stay, and FIM efficiency. RESULTS: Mean protein and
calorie intake was 57.6 +/- 16.2 g/d and 1452.2 +/- 435.8 kcal/d, respectively.
77.6% of patients had normal prealbumin on admission with 94.9% on discharge.
Prealbumin increased significantly from admission to discharge (22.3 +/- 6.2
mg/dL vs. 24.6 mg/dL +/- 5.1 mg/dL, P = 0.007). Number of complications and
length of stay were predicted by CRP in regression models. Total, motor, and
cognitive FIM efficiencies were not universally affected by prealbumin levels,
protein intake, or calorie intake. CONCLUSIONS: Nearly all hypoprealbuminemic
stroke rehabilitation inpatients correct their levels eating a non-supplemented
diet. Number of complications, length of stay, and functional outcomes in this
patient are not affected by prealbumin levels, protein intake, or calorie intake.

Langue : ANGLAIS