Association of Activities of Daily Living with Body Weight Change 3 Months After Stroke Onset

To investigate the relationship between body weight loss and activities of daily living (ADL) 3 months after stroke onset.

This retrospective cohort study included 81 patients at a rehabilitation hospital after receiving acute treatment at our hospital (mean age 70.7 years). Patients were divided into two groups, namely independent and non-independent, based on their ADL 3 months after stroke. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were constructed with the ADL independence possibility as the objective variable and body weight change rate (%) at 3 months as the explanatory variable. Patients were classified using the weight change rate calculated from the ROC curve and the NIHSS cut-off values, and the ADL independence percentage was compared.

The ADL-independent group had significantly lesser body weight loss than the non-independent group (median rate of body weight change: -2.7% vs. -7.2%; p<0.001). The area under the ROC curve was 0.76. The cut-off value was -5.6% for the body weight change rate. When participants with NIHSS ≤ 8 points were selected, the ADL-independent participants' proportion was significantly higher in the body weight loss ≤ -5.6% group than in the > -5.6% group (56.0% vs. 15.4%, p=0.016). However, there was no significant difference in the ADL-independent participants' proportion when those with NIHSS >8 points were selected (p=0.19).

Our findings indicate that weight loss after stroke onset is associated with non-independent ADL at 3 months. Weight maintenance from the onset is important for ADL independence, especially in patients with mild to moderate stroke.