An investigation on nutritional risk screening and risk factors of malnutrition in younger patients with stroke

Abstract

Objective To evaluate the nutritional risk screening for younger patients with stroke and to explore risk factors of malnutrition. Methods Younger patients with stroke were enrolled in a prospective way. The patients were evaluated by nutritional risk screening 2002 (NRS 2002) at their admission for nutritional risk screening, and were divided into nutritional risk group and no nutritional risk group according to the evaluation results. Prealbumin less than 200 mg/L was defined as malnutrition. Demographic and baseline clinical characteristics of the patients were analyzed with multivariate logistic regression analysis to determine independent risk factors for malnutrition at the admission and the 14th day. Results (1) A total of 152 young stroke patients were enrolled, including 51 in nutritional risk group, 101 in no nutritional risk group, the rate of nutritional risk was 33.6% (51/152) . (2) The rate of malnutrition at admission was 13.8% (21/152) , the rate of malnutrition in nutritional risk group was 25.5% (13/51) , and 7.9% (8/101) in no nutritional risk group on admission. While the rate of malnutrition was 32.2% (49/152) , including the rate of malnutrition in nutritional risk group was 60.78% (31/51) and 17.8% (18/101) in no nutritional risk group was at the 14th day of admission. (3) Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that advanced age (from 36 to 45 years), sex, diabetes, hyperthyroidism were independent risk factors for malnutrition in younger patients with stroke. Recent history of surgery and smoking, stroke-associated pneumonia, post-stroke depression, swallowing disorder, sleep disorder, moderate and severe neurologic deficits were also risk factors for malnutrition. Conclusion The incidence of malnutrition in younger patients with stroke were higher, and earlier nutritional risk screening and nutritional support in these patients were urgent. Key words: Stroke; Malnutrition; Risk factors