Spontaneous neurocognitive retrieval of patients with sub-acute ischemic stroke is associated with dietary protein intake

To document the relationship between neurocognitive recovery and macronutrient intake of patients suffering from ischemic strokes. Thirty day prospective study of 17 patients suffering from sub-acute stroke (> 14 days from the index event; 10 males, 7 females; mean age 75 ± 8 years) admitted to our rehabilitation unit. At admission (ADM), mean energy intake was inadequate (< 24 kcal/kg) for bodily needs, whereas protein (> 0.8 g/kg) and lipid (> 0.7 g/kg) intake was appropriate. Patients were moderately deficient for neurological (NIHSS 10.3 ± 3.5) and cognitive tests (MMSE 22.5 ± 3.3). NIHSS correlated negatively with proteins (r = −0.47, P = 0.05 at ADM; r = −0.52, P = 0.03 at 30 days) and positively with carbohydrate/protein ratio (CHO/protein; r = +0.45, P = 0.06 at ADM; r = +0.48, P = 0.05 at 30 days). However, MMSE correlated positively with proteins (r = +0.77, P = 0.0003 at ADM; r = +0.55, P = 0.02 at 30 days) and negatively with (CHO/Prot; r = −0.57, P = 0.02 at ADM; not significant at 30 days). The relationship remained significant even when the data at ADM and at 30 days where pooled. In sub-acute strokes, patient neurological and cognitive retrieval could positively be associated with protein intake.