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Journal of the Australasian Society for the Study of Brain Impairment
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Association between adequate protein intake and quadriceps quantity and quality during rehabilitation in people with subacute stroke

Shu Tanaka https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3167-7279 A B * , Mizue Suzuki C , Yosuke Kimura D , Shingo Koyama E , Hiroaki Masuda B , Iwao Kojima B , Katsumi Suzukawa F , Kenichiro Takasugi F and Minoru Yamada G
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Major of Physical Therapy, Department of Rehabilitation, School of Health Sciences, Tokyo University of Technology, 5-23-22 Nishikamata, Ota-ku, Tokyo, 144-8535, Japan.

B Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 3-29-1 Otsuka, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 112-0012, Japan.

C Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Yamato University, 2-5-1, Katayama-cho, Suita-shi, Osaka, 564-0082, Japan.

D Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Life Sciences, Toyo University, 48-1 Oka, Asaka, Saitama, 351-0007, 236-8501, Japan.

E Faculty of Health Sciences, Tsukuba University of Technology, 4-12-7 Kasuga, Tsukuba-city, Ibaraki, 305-8521, Japan.

F Department of Rehabilitation, Musashimurayama Hospital, Social Medical Corporation, Yamatokai Foundation, 1-1-5 Enoki, Musashimurayama, Tokyo, 208-0022, Japan.

G Faculty of Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 3-29-1 Otsuka, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 112-0012, Japan.

* Correspondence to: tanakash@stf.teu.ac.jp

Handling Editor: Suzanne Kuys

Brain Impairment 25, IB24035 https://doi.org/10.1071/IB24035
Submitted: 23 April 2024  Accepted: 9 November 2024  Published: 3 December 2024

© 2024 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing on behalf of the Australasian Society for the Study of Brain Impairment.

Abstract

Background

We aimed to investigate the association between protein intake and quadriceps quantity and quality on the paretic and non-paretic sides during rehabilitation in people with subacute stroke.

Method

Eighty-six people with stroke were recruited from a rehabilitation ward. We measured quadriceps muscle quantity and quality on the paretic and non-paretic sides using ultrasonography at admission and after 4 weeks. Protein intake was assessed 2 or 3 weeks after admission, and participants were classified into two groups: adequate and inadequate protein intake groups. Analysis of covariance was used to determine the effects of protein intake on quadriceps muscle quantity and quality.

Results

The mean age (standard deviation), median interval between stroke onset and admission (interquartile range) and male proportion of the study participants were 67.6 (13.5) years, 22.5 (16.8–31.3) days, and 54.7%, respectively. The adequate protein intake group showed significantly greater improvements in paretic-side quadriceps thickness than the inadequate group (group-by-time interaction, F = 8.771, P = 0.004). In contrast, no significant interactions were observed in quadriceps thickness on the non-paretic side (F = 2.383, P = 0.127) and quadriceps echo intensity on both sides (paretic-side: F = 0.020, P = 0.887, non-paretic side: F = 0.181, P = 0.672).

Conclusions

Adequate protein intake may be useful for improving quadriceps quantity on the paretic side in people with subacute stroke undergoing rehabilitation. However, quadriceps quantity on the non-paretic side and quadriceps quality on both sides were not significantly associated with adequate protein intake.

Keywords: motor paralysis, nutrition, protein intake, quadriceps quality, quadriceps quantity, rehabilitation, stroke, ultrasonography.

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