Influence of both malnutrition and severity in stroke patients for length of independent ambulation verified by covariance structure analysis

Methods: 50 healthy controls (mean age = 67.3± 4.5; 27 males) and 48 elderlywith stroke (mean age = 67.3± 7.14; 32 males)were recruited. Fatiguewas assessedbyFatigueSeverity Scale (FSS). Age, gender, and chronicity were recorded as demographic information. Assessments of stroke severity (Fugl-Meyer), cognition (MoCA), independence level (modified Rankin Scale and Barthel Index), depression (PHQ-9) and presence of pain were administered. Quality of life was assessed using WHOQoL-BREF. Chi squared was used for comparison between the groups. Spearman rank correlation coefficient was used to determine relationship between fatigue and other outcome measures. Results: Twenty-two patient with stroke reported fatigue (46%)while only 5 non-stroke elderly (10%) reported fatigue (p< .001). The stroke group had a greater FSS score compared to the healthy controls (p< .001). There was no difference between male stroke and female stroke on the FSS score (p= .28). Similarly, age, presence of pain, cognition, and stroke severitywere not significantly correlatedwith post-stroke fatigue. In contrast, depression was significantly positively correlated with post-stroke fatigue (r = .37, p< .001). Post-stroke fatigue was not correlated with the levels of independence (BI p= .16; mRS p= .62). However, physical domain of quality of life was significantly negatively correlated with fatigue among individuals with stroke (r=−.46, p< .001). Conclusion(s): Prevalence of fatigue among individuals post-stroke was higher than the healthy elderly. Post-stroke fatigue was not associated with gender, pain, stroke severity, functional capacity, cognition and levels of independence. In contrast, post-stroke fatigue positively associated with depression and negatively correlated with physical domain of quality of life. Implications: Investigation of post-stroke fatigue and its correlates will assist to improve the post-stroke care and rehabilitation outcome.