Metabolism-Matched Feeding Preserves More Muscle After Stroke In Trial

Researchers at a single hospital assigned 74 acute ischemic stroke patients needing tube feeding by odd or even hospital admission number; 6 were excluded before allocation and 68 were split into a group fed to 120% of measured resting energy expenditure (via indirect calorimetry, a breathing test measuring calories burned at rest) or a control group fed 25 kcal per kilogram of body weight daily. The complete-case analysis included 54 patients, 24 in the measured-metabolism group and 30 in the control group. After adjusting for age, sex, baseline stroke severity score, total calorie intake and day 0 inflammation levels, left temporal muscle thickness (a facial muscle used as a marker of overall muscle wasting) was 0.56 millimeters thicker in the measured-metabolism group by day 14. Right temporal muscle thickness and calf circumference did not differ significantly after adjustment; unadjusted calf circumference was actually lower in the measured-metabolism group. Prealbumin, a blood protein reflecting recent nutrition status, trended numerically higher in that group but missed significance. Albumin, transferrin, inflammation markers and complication rates showed no meaningful differences.