A population-specific Mini-Nutritional Assessment can effectively grade the nutritional status of stroke rehabilitation patients in Taiwan.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether a modified version of the Mini-Nutritional Assessment without body mass index could effectively assess the nutritional risk status of stroke rehabilitation patients in Taiwan.


BACKGROUND
The Mini-Nutritional Assessment was developed on the basis of clinical data of Western populations. Although widely used, its application to assess stroke rehabilitation patients has been limited. Further, to get best results, population-specific modifications to address anthropometric and lifestyle differences have been suggested, especially for non-Caucasian populations.


METHODS
The study assessed the nutritional status of stroke rehabilitation patients who enrolled in the Long-Term Care Service of Taipei. Strokes who were >40 years old, in the program for >1 month and cognitively able to answer the questions were recruited to participate in the study.


METHODS
An on-site in-person interview with structured questionnaire elicited information on personal data, disease history and healthcare use and answers to the Mini-Mental State Examination, the Activities of Daily Living and the Mini-Nutritional Assessment. Patient's nutritional status was assessed with the Mini-Nutritional Assessment in three versions: the original, population-specific (MNA-TI) and population-specific, without body mass index (MNA-TII).


RESULTS
The original Mini-Nutritional Assessment rated 24% of patients malnourished and 57% at risk of malnutrition. Similar results, 14 and 64%, respectively, for MNA-TI; and 19 and 57%, respectively, for MNA-TII were observed.


CONCLUSIONS
Both the original and the modified versions of the Mini-Nutritional Assessment can effectively rate the nutritional risk status of stroke rehabilitation patients in Taiwan. Version MNA-TII that adopted population-specific anthropometric cut-values but without body mass index can effectively predict the nutritional status of stroke patients.


CONCLUSIONS
The modified scale (MNA-TII) can enhance the application of the tool and timely detection and intervention of undernutrition among stroke rehabilitation patients. It can also help to improve job efficiency of the primary care professionals.
Tsai
Alan C
AC
Graduate Institute of Long-term Care, Asia University, Wufeng, Taichung, Taiwan. atsai@umich.edu
Shih
Chi-Ling
CL
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D009752:Nutritional Status; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013624:Taiwan