Malnutrition is associated with low physical function in patients undergoing cardiac rehabilitation following heart failure

Abstract

Patients who experience heart failure are prone to malnutrition. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of malnutrition on physical function in patients undergoing cardiac rehabilitation following heart failure. A cross-sectional study was performed in consecutive patients hospitalized for cardiac rehabilitation following heart failure. Nutritional status was evaluated using the Mini Nutritional Assessment–Short-Form (MNA-SF). Physical function was evaluated using the Barthel index (BI). Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to determine whether nutritional status was associated with BI in these patients. The present study included 105 patients (mean age of 77.3 years; 56 men and 49 women) for analysis. The median (interquartile range) scores of the MNA-SF and BI were 11 (9–13) and 75 (45–90), respectively. Patients with malnutrition (MNA-SF < 7) were significantly older, had lower body mass index, exhibited lower muscle mass and strength, could walk shorter distances, and had lower BI scores (all, P < 0.05). In multivariate analysis, the MNA-SF score was independently associated with BI (beta = 0.409, P < 0.001) after adjusting for age, sex, muscle mass and strength, brain natriuretic peptide levels, ejection fraction of the left ventricle, and main diseases. Nutritional status is associated with physical function in patients undergoing cardiac rehabilitation following heart failure. Early detection of malnutrition can help promote nutritional support to improve functional recovery in these patients.