METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study of stroke survivors attending post-stroke care clinics in three public hospitals in the states of Pahang and Terengganu, Malaysia. The HRQoL was assessed by EuroQol-5 dimension-5 levels. Data on socio-demographic, clinical profiles, malnutrition risk, and physical activity level were collected through an interviewer-administered survey. Descriptive analyses for HRQoL profiles and multiple logistic regression analyses for its associated factors were performed. Crude and adjusted odds ratios were reported.
RESULTS: A total of 366 stroke survivors were recruited with a mean age of 59 ± 11 years. The most -commonly reported health problems were mobility (85%), followed by usual activities (82%), pain/discomfort (63%), anxiety/depression (51%) and self-care (41%). The mean of the EQ visual analogue scale and the median of the EQ5D summary index was reported at 60.3 ± 14.2 and 0.67 ± 0.37, respectively. Malnutrition risk (mobility, usual activities, and self-care), wheelchair users (self-care and usual activities), speech impairment (usual activities and pain/discomfort), number of stroke episodes (self-care and pain/discomfort), body mass index, physical activity level and types of strokes (usual activities), age and use of a proxy (anxiety/depression), working and smoking status (mobility), were factors associated with either single or multiple dimensions of HRQoL.
CONCLUSION: Routine malnutrition screening, tailored program for speech therapy, prevention of recurrent stroke, and physical activity promotion should be addressed and further reinforced in current rehabilitation interventions to improve the HRQoL among stroke survivors in Malaysia.
Methods: Post-stroke patients who attended the outpatient clinics in three hospitals of Peninsular Malaysia were enrolled in the study. The risk of malnutrition was assessed using the Malnutrition Risk Screening Tool-Hospital. Data including demographic characteristics, clinical profiles, dietary nutrients intake, body mass index (BMI) and hand grip strength were collected during the survey. The crude odds ratio (OR) and adjusted odds ratio (AOR) were reported for univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses, respectively.
Results: Among 398 patients included in the study, 40% were classified as high-risk for malnutrition. In the multivariable logistic regression, tube feeding (AOR: 13.16, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.22-53.77), loss of appetite (AOR: 8.15, 95% CI: 4.71-14.12), unemployment (AOR: 4.26, 95% CI: 1.64-11.12), wheelchair-bound (AOR: 2.23, 95% CI: 1.22-4.09) and BMI (AOR: 0.87, 95% CI: 0.82-0.93) were found to be significant predictors of malnutrition risk among stroke patients.
Conclusion: The risk of malnutrition is highly prevalent among post-stroke patients. Routine nutritional screening, identification of risk factors, and continuous monitoring of dietary intake and nutritional status are highly recommended even after the stroke patient is discharged.