[The risk factors for malnutrition in post-stroke patients.]

To investigate the detection rate of malnutrition among post-stroke patients in community hospitals and unravel the relevant factors that precipitate malnutrition after stroke.

Based on 438 post-stroke patients who were admitted in community hospitals, we examined the demographic characteristics, the nutritional indices and the possible malnutrition related factors through a cross-sectional study.

The detection rate of malnutrition among post-stroke patients was 52.7%. Group comparison through multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that there was a higher malnutrition detection rate in the post-stroke patients with multiple stroke attacks (three stroke attackes and above, OR = 11.00, 95%CI 1.14 - 106.34), higher NIHSS scores (group with NIHSS >/= 15, OR = 7.09, 95%CI 2.90 - 17.36), higher modified Rankin scales (group mRS 4 - 5, OR = 15.77, 95%CI 6.61 - 37.59) (trend test P < 0.0001). The risk of malnutrition was also correlated with the post-stroke depression, poorer family care, no early-stage rehabilitation, history of malignant tumors and severe alcoholism.

There is a high detection rate of malnutrition among post-stroke patients in community hospitals. There are many factors related to malnutrition among post-stroke patients in the community. More attention to controllable influencing factors would improve the prognosis of post-stroke patients.