Triad of rehabilitation, nutrition support, and oral management improves activities of daily living and muscle health in hospitalized patients after stroke

Abstract

Background and aims: The triad approach combining rehabilitation, nutrition support, and oral management has garnered increasing interest for improving outcomes in older adults. However, evidence is limited regarding its effectiveness in post-stroke patients, who are at high risk for malnutrition, sarcopenia, oral problems, and dysphagia. This study aims to investigate the association between the triad approach and improvement in activities of daily living (ADL), muscle strength, and skeletal muscle mass in these patients.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted using post-stroke patients. Patients were divided into groups based on their exposure to the triad approach, defined as a combination of intensive chair-stand exercise (rehabilitation), personalized food prescriptions (nutrition support), and oral management by dental professionals. We investigated the association between the triad approach and outcomes using multiple linear regression analysis adjusted for covariates. Primary outcome was Functional Independence Measure motor score (FIM-motor) at discharge and its gain. Secondary outcomes were handgrip strength (HGS) and skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) at discharge.

Results: The study included 1012 post-stroke patients (median age 75.6 years; 54.1% men). Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that the triad approach had the strongest association with higher FIM-motor at discharge (β = 0.262, p < 0.001) and FIM-motor gain (β = 0.272, p < 0.001) compared to the individual or combined interventions. The triad also showed the strongest associations with higher HGS (β = 0.090, p = 0.017) and SMI (β = 0.041, p = 0.028) at discharge.

Conclusions: The triad approach of intensive rehabilitation, personalized nutrition support, and oral management by dental professionals is strongly associated with improved ADL, muscle strength, and skeletal muscle mass in post-stroke rehabilitation patients. Implementing this multidisciplinary strategy may maximize functional and muscle health recovery.

Keywords: Convalescent rehabilitation; Dysphagia; Malnutrition; Oral problems; Sarcopenia.