Additional Predictive Value of Nutritional Status in the Prognostic Assessment of Heart Failure Patients

Abstract Background and Aims Nutritional status (NS) is not routinely assessed in HF. We sought to evaluate whether NS may be additive to a comprehensive pre-discharge evaluation based on a clinical score that includes BMI (MAGGIC) and on an index of functional capacity (six minute walking test, 6mWT) in HF patients. Methods and Results The CONUT (Controlling Nutritional Status) score (including serum albumin level, total cholesterol and lymphocyte count) was computed in 466 consecutive patients (mean age 61±11 years, NYHA class 2.6±0.6, LVEF 34±11%, BMI 27.2±4.5) who had pre-discharge MAGGIC and 6MWT. The endpoint was all-cause mortality. Mild or moderate undernourishment were present in 54% of patients with no differences across BMI strata. The 12-month event rate was 7.7%. Deceased patients had a more compromised NS (CONUT 2.8±1.5 vs 1.7±1.3, p