In post-stroke hemiparesis patients, the skeletal muscle mass decrease rapidly with the histological degradation. We investigated the effect of nutritional supplementation with whey protein and vitamin D on the muscle mass and muscle quality, in post-stroke convalescent rehabilitation patients in a randomized, single-blinded, placebo-controlled trial. Fifty patients were randomly assigned to two groups; HP group received supplemental jelly (100 kcal; whey protein 10 g; vitamin D 20 μg) twice a day throughout up to 16-week period, the control group received placebo jelly. Cross-sectional area (CSA) of thigh muscle, skeletal muscle index (SMI), muscle strength, activity of daily living (ADL), and some nutritional indicators in blood were measured. Although no significant difference was observed in CSA and SMI between the groups, fat infiltration into the thighs muscle was singnificantly lower in the HP group. There were no significant difference in muscle strength and ADL between the groups. Blood urea nitrogen and serum 25(OH)D at endpoint were significantly higher in the HP group but physiological normal ranges. Supplementation with whey protein and vitamin D in post-stroke patients led to suppression of fat infiltration into the muscle. Long-term follow-up studies are needed to verify whether this nutritional intervention provides substantial benefits for the prognosis of stroke survivors.
In 2020, COVID-19 spread throughout the world, and international measures such as travel bans, quarantines, and increased social distancing were implemented. In Japan, the number of infected people increased, and a state of emergency was declared from 16 April to 25 May 2020. Such a change in physical activity could lead to a decline in physical function in people with disabilities. A retrospective study was conducted to determine the impact of the pandemic on the physical function of disabled persons living in the community. Data were collected at four points in time: two points before the declaration of the state of emergency was issued and two points after the declaration period had ended. Time series data of physical function at four points in time were compared for 241 people with disabilities. The mean age was 72.39 years; 157 had stroke, 59 musculoskeletal disease, and 26 other diseases. Overall, there was a long-term decrease in walking speed (p < 0.001) and a worsening of the Timed Up-and-Go (TUG) score (p < 0.001) after the period of the state of emergency. The TUG score worsened only in the group with a walking speed of 1.0 m/s or less before the state of emergency (p = 0.064), suggesting that this group was more susceptible.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.