Prevalence and prognostic significance of malnutrition in patients with secondary mitral regurgitation undergoing transcatheter edge‐to‐edge repair

Background Malnutrition is associated with poor prognosis in several cardiovascular diseases; however, its role in patients with secondary mitral regurgitation (SMR) is poorly known. Aims To evaluate the impact of nutritional status, assessed using different scores, on clinical outcomes in patients with SMR undergoing transcatheter edge‐to‐edge repair (TEER) in a real‐world setting. Methods A total of 658 patients with SMR and complete nutritional data were identified from the MIVNUT registry. Nutritional status has been assessed using controlling nutritional status index (CONUT), prognostic nutritional index (PNI), and geriatric nutritional risk index (GNRI) scores. Outcomes of interest were all‐cause mortality and all‐cause mortality or heart failure (HF) hospitalization. Results Any malnutrition grade was observed in 79.4%, 16.7%, and 47.9% of patients by using CONUT, PNI, and GNRI, respectively, while moderate to severe malnutrition was noted in 24.7%, 16.7%, and 25.6% of patients, respectively. At a median follow‐up of 2.2 years, 212 patients (32.2%) died. Moderate‐severe malnutrition was associated with a higher rate of all‐cause mortality (HR: 2.46 [95% CI: 1.69−3.58], HR: 2.18 [95% CI: 1.46−3.26], HR: 1.97 [95% CI: 1.41−2.74] for CONUT, PNI, and GNRI scores, respectively). The combined secondary endpoint of all‐cause mortality and HF rehospitalization occurred in 306 patients (46.5%). Patients with moderate‐severe malnutrition had a higher risk of the composite endpoint (HR: 1.56 [95% CI: 1.20−2.28], HR: 1.55 [95% CI: 1.01−2.19], HR: 1.36 [95% CI: 1.02−1.80] for CONUT, PNI, and GNRI scores, respectively). After adjustment for multiple confounders, moderate‐severe malnutrition remained independently associated with clinical outcomes. Conclusions Moderate‐severe malnutrition was common in patients with SMR undergoing TEER. It was independently associated with poor prognosis regardless of the different scores used.