World Nutrition Journal (Feb 2020)

The Impact of Nutritional Status and Body Mass Index on Rehabilitation Outcomes in Patients Receiving Home-Based Medical Care

  • Kanako Eiwa,
  • Naomi Nakayama,
  • Yumi Takami,
  • Shuko Iwasaki,
  • Yoshinori Hino,
  • Takehiko Hirai,
  • Kentaro Nakayama,
  • Yuji Eda

DOI
https://doi.org/10.25220/WNJ.V03.i2.0003
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 3, no. 2
pp. 15 – 23

Abstract

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Background: Home-based medical care is expanding rapidly in Japan. Objectives: We aimed to identify the factors associated with outcomes of therapy in patients receiving home-visit rehabilitation. Methods: One hundred twenty-one patients receiving home-based rehabilitation were investigated. Nutritional status was assessed by the Mini Nutritional Assessment Short Form (MNA-SF). The Functional Independence Measure (FIM) was employed to assess the activities of daily living (ADL). The body mass index (BMI), medical history, and orthopedic disease-related pain were also recorded. The primary outcome was the improvement in FIM scores in one year. Results: A total of 19 (17%) patients were malnourished and 58 (48%) were at risk of malnutrition. Malnourished patients had a lower FIM score at initiation than those at risk of malnutrition or with normal nutritional status. Only changes in patients’ BMI and MNA-SF scores over one year were significantly associated with improved FIM scores (p = 0.0079 and p = 0.0049, respectively). No association was noted with the other factors. Conclusions: This is the first report to demonstrate that changes in MNA-SF scores and BMI are significantly associated with rehabilitation outcomes in home-based care. Nutritional management is essential along with rehabilitation to improve ADL in the long-term home care setting.

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