Takaaki Chiba, RPT, Junichi Yokota, RPT, PhD, Ren Takahashi, RPT, Kosuke Sasaki, OTR, Hiroto Suzuki, RPT, PhD
Jpn J Compr Rehabil Sci 14: 69-77, 2023
Objective: To determine the relationship between
prealbumin level and activities of daily living (ADL)
at discharge in patients with heart failure (HF) and
assess the usefulness of prealbumin measurement in
predicting discharge Barthel Index (BI) in older
patients with HF who become non-independent in
ADL after hospital admission.
Methods: Patients with HF, aged >-75 years, who were
admitted to an acute hospital and underwent acute and
early recovery cardiac rehabilitation (CR) were studied
retrospectively. The exclusion criteria were nonindependent
ADL before admission (BI < 85 points)
and independent ADL at the start of CR (BI >-85
points). The usefulness of prealbumin level in
predicting discharge BI was compared between four
models. Albumin and Controlling Nutritional Status
(CONUT) were used as comparison variables. The
models and independent variables were model 1
(covariates only), model 2 (prealbumin + covariates),
model 3 (albumin + covariates), and model 4 (CONUT
score + covariates). Adjusted R2, a measure of model
fit, was used to compare predictive ability.
Results: A total of 152 patients were included in the
analysis. Prealbumin level was a significant variable
for BI at discharge but not albumin or CONUT. The
adjusted R2 was higher in model 2 with the addition of
prealbumin than that in model 1 (0.362 vs. 0.347).
Conclusion: Prealbumin levels are useful in predicting
discharge BI in older patients with HF who become
non-independent in ADL after hospitalization.
Key words: Heart failure, Prealbumin, Activities of daily living, Cardiac rehabilitation