Impact of Phase Angle on Physical Function in Patients with Acute Stroke.

OBJECTIVE

Phase angle, an assessment of muscle quality, might be a possible predictor of physical function in patients with an acute stroke; however, the evidence for the same is limited. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate whether phase angle is associated with improved physical function at discharge.

METHODS

In this observational cohort study, we determined the phase angle in patients with an acute stroke using a portable, noninvasive multifrequency bio-impedance device. The primary objective was the assessment of physical function using the Functional Independence Measure motor (FIM-motor) at discharge in the acute phase. The secondary outcome was home discharge. Multiple regression analysis was used to determine the association between phase angle, FIM-motor score, and home discharge.

RESULTS

The study included 129 patients (78 men; mean age 75.2 years). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that the phase angle was independently associated with FIM-motor score at discharge in all models (Model 1: β= 0.27, p < 0.001; Model 2: β = 0.234, p < 0.001; Model 3: β = 0.201, p = 0.017). However, multiple logistic regression analysis showed that the phase angle was not associated with home discharge (p = 0.464).

CONCLUSIONS

The phase angle at the onset of a stroke, is an independent predictor of physical function at discharge in the acute phase. Our findings highlight the importance of determining the phase angle in patients with an acute stroke.