Validating a Nutrition Support Team's (NST) Effect in Convalescent Stroke Rehabilitation using the Functional Independence Measure

Abstract

The aim of this study is to validate the effect of a nutrition support team'sNSTinterven-tions in convalescent stroke rehabilitation using the Functional Independence MeasureFIM. Three hundred and four patients were retrospectively divided into an NST-nourishment group, an NST-losing weight group and a non-NST group. We then compared the FIM gain, the FIM efficiency and the change of body mass index during admission among these three groups. The FIM gain was 17.3 15.9 in the NST-nourishment group and 16.712.5 in the non-NST group and there was no significant difference. The FIM efficiency in the NST-nourishment group0.200.19was significantly lower than the one in the non-NST group0.270.19. Patients with an FIM of 53 or less showed no significant difference in FIM gain and FIM efficiency between the two groups. Since those patients who received NST intervention would tend to have a poor prognosis in general, we assumed that our "no difference" results indicated the effectiveness of the NST intervention. There was no evident relationship between FIM gains and changes in the body mass index.Jpn J Rehabil Med 2008 184 192 NST FIM 304 NST NST NST FIM 17.3 15.9 NST 16.712.5 FIM 0.200.19 NST 0.270.19 FIM 54 FIM FIM BMI FIM NST NST