Prognostic nutritional index and early mortality with percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy

Although percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) is a well-accepted and less invasive method of feeding tube placement in patients with swallowing difficulties, complications and early death after PEG have been reported.

This study aimed to evaluate predictive factors associated with 30-day mortality after PEG, and to assess the utility of nutritional supporting period before PEG in reducing early mortality following PEG.

An observational study.

We retrospectively analyzed 268 patients who underwent PEG at Sapporo Shirakaba-dai Hospital from 2006 to 2010, using clinical and laboratory data to analyze predictive factors associated with early death after PEG. Then, we prospectively assessed 152 consecutive patients assessed for eligibility for PEG from 2011 to 2014. We assessed the patients' nutritional condition using Onodera's prognostic nutritional index (PNI), and supported nutrition for more than 10 days before PEG in patients with a poor nutritional index (PNI < 37).

In both univariate and multivariate analyses in the retrospective study, Onodera's PNI of less than 37 was the only predictive factor for early mortality. In the second study, among the 115 patients who finally underwent PEG, early mortality rates improved to 1.7% from 5.2% in the first study. Conversely, 32% of patients with malnutrition who did not undergo PEG died within 30 days.

Nutritional status might be a predictive factor for early mortality after PEG. In patients with poor nutritional status, nutritional supporting period before PEG might improve the outcomes and reduce unnecessary PEG.