Purpose: The purpose of this study was to clarify the association between dietary intake during hospitalization and lower limb muscle strength at discharge in patients with heart failure.

Subject and methods: Subjects were 92 patients hospitalized with acute decompensated heart failure who underwent phase I cardiac rehabilitation. Mean dietary intake (kcal/day) during hospitalization and mean dietary intake rate (i.e., the percentage of dietary intake out of total energy provided) were calculated. Right and left knee extensor muscle strengths (kgf) were measured at discharge as lower limb muscle strength, and the mean value was normalized by body weight.

Results: Lower limb muscle strength was positively correlated with dietary intake rate and dietary intake (r=0.47 and 0.56, respectively, both p<0.05). Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that dietary intake was significantly correlated with lower limb muscle strength at discharge (R=0.703, adjusted R²=0.476, p<0.05).

Conclusions: Dietary intake during hospitalization was related to lower limb muscle strength at discharge in patients with heart failure. This suggests that early intervention using a multidisciplinary comprehensive approach is necessary for improvement in patients with low dietary intake.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to clarify how oral function affects the outcome of stroke patients aged 80 years or older admitted to a convalescent rehabilitation ward.

Subjects and methods: In this case-control study, 241 stroke patients aged 80 years or older who were admitted to a convalescent rehabilitation ward were divided by discharge destination into a home group (160 patients) and a facility group (81 patients). Their basic attributes, medical attributes functional independence evaluated by the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) at admission and discharge, and oral function assessed by the Revised Oral Assessment Guide (ROAG) were retrospectively investigated. Also, factors affecting discharge destination and cutoff values were examined.

Results: ROAG scores at admission were significantly lower, and FIM scores for motor and cognitive items at admission, total FIM scores and FIM scores for motor and cognitive items at discharge were significantly higher in the home group. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that the ROAG total score at admission (odds ratio 1.19, 95% confidence interval: 1.09–1.24) and FIM scores for motor items at discharge (odds ratio 0.96, 95% confidence interval: 0.93–0.99) were identified as factors influencing discharge to home. The cut-off values of discharge to home were a ROAG total score at admission of ≤13 points, and an FIM motor item score of ≥30.1 points).

Conclusions: Oral function at admission may contribute to identifying older stroke patients who are expected to have difficulty being discharged home to setting goals for them in a convalescent rehabilitation ward.