Nutritional recommendations for the management of stroke patients

This paper reports the consensus achieved by a panel convened by the IRCCS Fondazione S. Lucia, on different aspects of the relationships between diet, nutrition and stroke: according to a well-defined evidence-based approach. The recommendations are subdivided in three main sections regarding the assessment of nutritional status, the estimation of the patient's nutritional needs and the nutrition management, and take into account stroke patients in both the acute phase and rehabilitation. Stroke patients are at nutritional risk and assessment of nutritional status and nutrition therapy should be part of the overall management of stroke patients in both the acute phase and rehabilitation. Highlights of the recommendations are that nutritional assessment should be carried out weekly in the presence of mild undernutrition, and twice a week in the case of moderate to severe undernutrition; in the case of undernutrition, the use of an oral diet associated with oral nutritional supplementation can be effective in improving nutritional status; EN should be started within 5-7 days after stroke in well-nourished patients with severe dysphagia, and within 24-72 h in malnourished patients. It is hoped that the recommendations hereby released will be useful to nutritionists, neurologists, practicing physicians and health care professionals operating in the field of stroke patient therapy. © SINPE-GASAPE.