Abstract
Objective: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between nutritional status, assessed by the Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) score, and functional recovery in patients with stroke undergoing inpatient rehabilitation. Methods: A total of 113 patients diagnosed with stroke were included in this observational study. Nutritional status was evaluated using the CONUT score, and functional independence and baseline disability were assessed with the Modified Barthel Index (mBI) and the Modified Rankin Scale (mRS) at admission. Functional independence was reassessed with the mBI at discharge. Patients were divided into four groups based on their CONUT score: normal, mild, moderate, and severe malnutrition risk. Results: According to CONUT classification, 37.2% of patients were normal, 46.0% were at mild, 13.3% at moderate, and 3.5% at severe risk of malnutrition. A weak positive correlation was found between CONUT score and age (r = 0.186, p = 0.049). CONUT score was negatively correlated with vitamin D (r = -0.212, p = 0.024), albumin (r = -0.636, p < 0.001), total protein (r = -0.387, p < 0.001), LDL (r = -0.445, p < 0.001), and total cholesterol (r = -0.444, p < 0.001). Within-group comparisons showed significant improvement in mBI scores from admission to discharge in the normal (p < 0.001), mild (p < 0.001), and moderate (p = 0.024) groups, but not in the severe malnutrition group (p = 0.317). Conclusions: Although no statistically significant association was found between the CONUT score and mBI outcomes, patients with better nutritional status showed a clinical trend toward greater functional improvement during rehabilitation, whereas those with severe malnutrition demonstrated limited gains. These findings should be interpreted cautiously due to the very small number of patients in the severe malnutrition group. Early screening and appropriate nutritional management using objective tools such as the CONUT score may still support rehabilitation planning in stroke patients.