Combining rehabilitation nursing with nutritional intervention to improve self-care ability and nutritional status in elderly stroke patients: a randomized controlled trial

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In a randomized controlled trial, Liu Mei et al. from the *Zibo Central Hospital* (China) evaluated whether combining rehabilitation nursing with structured nutritional support could improve elderly stroke prognosis survivors. Published in the *Journal of Health Population and Nutrition* (2025), the study provides evidence that a combined intervention significantly enhances:

5)

Methodological Strengths

  • Large sample (n=300); randomization supports internal validity
  • Multiple validated tools: NDS, MMSE, BI, FMA, biochemical & anthropometric measures
  • Ethical approval and informed consent ensured

Key Limitations

  • Lack of blinding → potential bias
  • Comparator (‘standard care’) vaguely described
  • No follow-up data: long-term effect unclear
  • No economic evaluation despite resource demands

Data & Reporting Concerns

  • Statistical methods underreported: no confidence intervals, unclear ITT vs PP
  • Baseline characteristics not shown
  • No subgroup analysis by age, stroke severity, or comorbidities

Verdict

  • Score: 6/10
  • Promising evidence for combined rehab-nutrition in elderly stroke
  • However, methodological flaws and lack of sustainability data weaken generalizability

For Neurosurgeons

If your stroke unit considers integrating structured nutritional support into standard rehabilitation, weigh the benefits against:

A structured program with clear monitoring and follow-up protocols is essential for safe implementation.

Bottom Line

A large RCT shows that combining rehab nursing with nutritional support boosts recovery metrics in elderly stroke patients. While short-term results are promising, lack of follow-up, cost data, and methodological transparency warrant cautious interpretation.

Citation

Liu Mei, Xing Li, Gaoxiao Chen, Zhangjian Fang *Zibo Central Hospital, China* 📧 zxyyliumei@163.com *J Health Popul Nutr. 2025 Jul 3;44(1):237* DOI: 10.1186/s41043-025-00995-z

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