Impacts of evidence-based nursing combined with enteral nutrition on nutritional status and quality of life in acute cerebral infarction patients: A randomized controlled trial

Objective To explore the impacts of evidence-based nursing (EBN) combined with enteral nutrition (EN) on nutritional status as well as quality of life in acute cerebral infarction (ACI) patients. Methods In this randomized controlled cluster trial, 80 ACI patients admitted to our hospital from January 2021 to December 2022 were selected and randomly separated into study group (SG) and control group (CG), with 40 patients in each group. Patients in CG received routine nursing, and patients in the SG received EBN combined with EN. The neurological function, limb movement ability, nutritional status, anxiety and depression, incidence of complications and quality of life between two groups were compared. Results After intervention, the NIHSS score in the SG was lower than that in the CG (CG = 5.62 ± 0.56, SG = 3.27 ± 0.33. p < .001). The FMA score in the SG was higher compared with the CG (CG = 52.58 ± 5.32, SG = 68.85 ± 6.87. p < .001). The Hb level, TP level and ALB level in the SG were higher relative to the CG ( p < .001). The Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS) scores in the SG were lower in comparison with the CG (SAS score: CG = 42.32 ± 4.25, SG = 36.28 ± 3.64; SDS score: CG = 48.27 ± 4.85, SG = 40.06 ± 4.05. p < .001). The incidence of complications in SG was lower than that in CG. Finally, we found that SF-36 scores in the SG in all dimensions were higher than those in the CG (Physiological function: CG = 70.23 ± 7.05, SG = 82.71 ± 8.26. Role function: CG = 66.28 ± 6.64, SG73.39 ± 7.36. Physical pain: CG = 70.67 ± 7.06, SG = 82.69 ± 8.29. General health: CG = 58.74 ± 5.86, SG66.62 ± 6.65. Mental health: CG = 53.68 ± 5.37, SG = 62.39 ± 6.31. Energy: CG = 60.75 ± 6.08, SG = 67.87 ± 6.78. Social function: CG = 76.25 ± 7.25, SG = 85.78 ± 8.59. Emotional function: CG = 61.23 ± 6.15, SG = 75.74 ± 7.56. p < .001). Conclusion EBN combined with EN can improve the nutritional status and the quality of life in ACI patients compared with the traditional routine nursing, and is suggested as a valuable strategy for clinical management of ACI.