Impact of early nutritional support and presence of diabetes mellitus in patients with acute stroke

Introduction: the data in the medical literature are conflicting regarding the nutritional support of patients with stroke and the most appropriate time to start it. Objective: to analyze the effect of a nutritional intervention and of nutritional parameters on the clinical evolution of patients with stroke. Material and methods: this was an observational, retrospective study in 43 patients. The following baseline data were collected: tricipital skinfold (TS), mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC), muscular arm circumference (MAC), albumin, prealbumin, total cholesterol, lymphocytes, diabetes mellitus (DM), nutritional support onset, duration and type of supplementation, nutrition care plan, neurological dysfunction according to the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) both at baseline and discharge, and mortality. Mortality within the first month and neurological deficit at discharge are identified as poor prognostic factors, and are related to nutritional parameters. Results: age 67.2 ± 12.5 years; 53.5% males and 34.9% females. Presence of DM: 34.88%. Nutritional parameters: TS: 18.7 ± 7.8 mm; MUAC: 30.2 ± 3 cm; MAC: 24.4 ± 3.1 cm; serum albumin 3.39 ± 0.3 g/dl; prealbumin: 22.3 ± 6.9 mg/dl; total cholesterol: 177.1 ± 46.4 mg/dL; lymphocytes: 1742 ± 885/mm3. Enteral nutritional support was started at 4.3 ± 5.8 days after the acute event, with a duration of 17.8 ± 23.2 days. Fifty percent of patients had severe neurological deficits at discharge. As markers of worse prognosis we identified a delay in the start of nutritional support of over 7 days, and the presence of DM. Conclusions: the late start of nutritional support was related to worse clinical prognosis. DM is a marker of poor prognosis in patients with stroke.