Change in phase angle is associated with improvement in activities of daily living and muscle function in patients with acute stroke

This study examined the association between phase angle (PhA) change and functional prognosis in patients with acute stroke. Increased PhA was associated with improved activities of daily living (ADL). PhA was also positively associated with handgrip strength and muscle mass. PhA change can be considered a promising outcome predictor in this patient population. The phase angle (PhA) is a simple index that reflects nutritional status and muscle quality. This study aimed to investigate the association between PhA changes and activities of daily living (ADL), muscle strength, and muscle mass in patients with acute stroke. This retrospective, observational, cross-sectional study included patients hospitalized for acute stroke. The primary outcome was functional independence measure (FIM) of motor gain. The secondary outcomes were changes in handgrip strength and skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) during hospitalization. Multivariate analysis was used to examine whether PhA changes were associated with outcomes, after adjusting for potential confounders. Hundred and sixty one subjects (mean age 74.6 years, 92 men) were included in the study. Multivariate analysis showed that PhA change was significantly and positively correlated with the gain in FIM motor scores, both for men (β = 0.634, p < 0.001) and women (β = 0.660, p < 0.001). Furthermore, there were significant associations between PhA change and changes in handgrip strength for men (β = 0.222, p = 0.030) and women (β = 0.491, p < 0.001), as well as SMI for men (β = 0.556, p < 0.001) and women (β = 0.290, p = 0.025). An increased phase angle was positively associated with ADL, muscle strength, and muscle mass at discharge in patients with acute stroke.