Geriatric Nutrition Risk Index Predicts Poor Swallowing Recovery in Acute Ischemic Stroke.

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Geriatrics
• Nutritional Science

Background:

• Dysphagia is a common complication of acute ischemic stroke.
• Malnutrition is prevalent in stroke patients and may impact recovery.
• Early identification of nutritional status is vital for predicting functional outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between admission malnutrition status and short-term swallowing recovery in acute ischemic stroke patients.
• To determine if the Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI) can predict swallowing recovery post-stroke.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 189 acute ischemic stroke patients with dysphagia.
• Swallowing function assessed by Food Oral Intake Scale (FOIS); poor recovery defined as FOIS 1-3 on day 14.
• Nutritional status assessed by GNRI; categorized into risk levels (none, mild, moderate, severe).

Main Results:

• 65% of patients experienced poor short-term swallowing recovery.
• Lower GNRI and moderate/severe nutritional risk (GNRI <92) were independently associated with poor swallowing recovery.
• Lower GNRI independently predicted poor swallowing recovery (aOR 1.03 per point decrease).

Conclusions:

• Admission malnutrition, assessed by GNRI, is an independent predictor of poor short-term swallowing recovery in acute ischemic stroke.
• Nutritional risk assessment upon admission can aid in identifying patients at risk for impaired swallowing recovery.
• Interventions targeting nutritional status may improve swallowing outcomes in stroke patients.