Malnutrition as Assessed by Nutritional Risk Index Is Associated with Worse Outcome in Patients Admitted with Acute Decompensated Heart Failure

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Background: Malnutrition is common at hospital admission and tends to worsen during hospitalization. This controlled population study aimed to determine if serum albumin or moderate and severe nutritional depletion by Nutritional Risk Index (NRI) at hospital admission are associated with increased length of hospital stay (LOS) in patients admitted with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF). Methods: Serum albumin levels and lymphocyte counts were retrospectively determined at hospital admission in 1740 consecutive patients admitted with primary and secondary diagnosis of ADHF. The Nutrition Risk Score (NRI) developed originally in AIDS and cancer populations was derived from the serum albumin concentration and the ratio of actual to usual weight, as follows: NRI = (1.519 × serum albumin, g/L) + (41.7 × present/ideal body weight). Patients were classified into four established groups as no, mild, moderate or severe risk by NRI. Multiple logistic regressions were used to determine the association between nutritional risk category and LOS. Results: 705 Patients (40%) were at moderate or severe nutritional risk by NRI score. This cohort had lower BMI (25.4 ± 5.6), albumin (2.8 ± 0.5), NRI (73.5 ± 9) and higher TIMI Risk Score (TRS) (3 ± 1.36). NRI for this cohort, adjusted for age, was associated With LOS of 6.8 days. Using the Multiple Logistic regression module, NRI was the strongest predictor for LOS (OR 1.7, 95% CI: 1.58-1.9; p=0.005), followed by TRS (OR 1.33, 95% CI: 1.03-1.71; p=0.02) and the presence of coronary artery disease (OR 2.29, 95%CI: 1.03-5.1; p=0.04). Moderate and severe NRI score was associated with higher Readmission rate (49% vs 37%; p=0.001) and death rates (6% vs 4%; p=0.02) as compared to the other two groups. Conclusions: Nutritional depletion as assessed by Nutritional Risk Index is associated with worse outcome in patients admitted with ADHF. Therefore; we recommend adding NRI to further risk stratify these patients.