This retrospective cohort study examined the relationship between nutritional status and functional recovery outcomes among hospitalized stroke patients receiving structured nursing care and rehabilitation. Conducted at Ganzhou Hospital–Nanfang Hospital in China, the study analyzed medical records of 500 adult stroke patients admitted between January 2023 and December 2025.
Researchers assessed nutritional status at admission using the Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI) along with anthropometric and functional indicators such as BMI, mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC), serum albumin, calf circumference, and handgrip strength. Functional recovery was measured using the Barthel Index (BI), Functional Independence Measure (FIM), handgrip strength, and ambulation outcomes from admission to discharge.