Association of Controlling Nutritional Status Score With 2-Year Clinical Outcomes in Patients With ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction Undergoing Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Background This study evaluated whether the Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) score could predict clinical outcomes in ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients. Methods We performed a retrospective cohort study of STEMI patients after primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI). The endpoint was major adverse cardiac event (MACE). Information was obtained from medical records and via telephone calls. Patients were divided into three groups: normal (CONUT score 0-1; n=278), mild-moderate (score 2-4; n=418), and severe (score >= 5; n=55) groups. Results During the 24.6 +/- 12 months follow-up, MACEs were observed in 65 (8.7%) patients. The incidence of MACEs was 6.1%, 5.5%, and 45.5% in the normal, mild-moderate, and severe group, respectively (p<0.001). Kaplan-Meier curves revealed that patients with a CONUT score >= 5 had the significantly highest rate of MACE, myocardial re-infarction, and vessel revascularisation. In three Cox proportional hazard models, the CONUT scores were unexceptionally associated with MACE, even after adjusting all other variables (hazard ratio, 12.09; 95% confidence interval [CI], 5.09-28.7; p<0.001). The C-statistic of the CONUT score for the prediction of MACE was 0.692 (95% CI, 0.613-0.771; p<0.001), which is close to that of Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events. Conclusions The nutritional status evaluated by the CONUT score can independently predict clinical outcomes in STEMI patients, which suggests that active nutritional management is meaningful for these patients after PCI.