Malnutrition and sarcopenia in inpatient rehabilitation: prevalence and associations with changes in bodyweight, muscle strength, and functional independence.
Undine Lehmann, Katja Uhlmann, André Meichtry and 10 others
PMID 39998491WHAT IT FOUND
Over a third of inpatient rehab patients had malnutrition or sarcopenia.
Strength and function improved during rehab, but malnourished patients were still weaker and less independent at discharge. Many at-risk patients lost weight, suggesting follow-up is needed.
Key findings
01The overall prevalence of malnutrition was 35.5% and confirmed sarcopenia was 32.7%, with co-occurrence in 22.4% of patients.
02Patients with diagnosed malnutrition had lower handgrip strength, weight, and Functional Independence Measure scores on both admission and discharge compared to those without.
03Patients at risk of malnutrition lost an average of 1.14 kg during rehabilitation, while those with no risk or a diagnosis maintained weight.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The study did not capture detailed nutritional intake or interventions other than counselling, so it is unclear if patients received oral supplements or enriched meals. Bioelectrical impedance analysis was used to estimate muscle mass, which can be inaccurate if patients have fluid retention, potentially misclassifying sarcopenia. The study did not collect comprehensive data on specific diagnoses, limiting how well the results apply to patients with different disease severities. Follow-up was only until discharge or three weeks, so it is unknown how long the functional deficits persisted after leaving the hospital.
Declared interests
The research was funded by a grant from Fresenius Kabi (Switzerland) AG. The authors stated they had no involvement from the sponsor that could have influenced the outcome of the work.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that improvements in strength and function during rehabilitation mean the malnutrition or sarcopenia has resolved. Patients with these conditions were still significantly weaker and less independent than their peers at discharge.