Prognostic value of preoperative controlling nutritional status in patients with glioblastoma

Accumulating evidence has demonstrated a correlation of preoperative controlling nutritional status (CONUT) score with prognosis in several malignancies, but only few studies have explored the influence of preoperative COUNT score in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). Therefore, this study aimed to validate the connection between the clinical outcome of patients with GBM and the preoperative CONUT score.

This study retrospectively evaluated the preoperative CONUT scores of 94 patients with GBM undergoing surgery between December 2015 and May 2018. The cutoff value of the CONUT score was determined using the X-tilesoftware. The influence of preoperative CONUT score on overall survival rate was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazard regression model.

The optimal preoperative CONUT score cutoff level was 4, and patients were divided into either low-CONUT score (<4, n = 78, 82.98 %) or high-CONUT score (≥4, n = 16, 17.02 %) groups. After univariate analysis, high-CONUT scores were closely associated with decreased overall survival (hazard ratio [HR]: 2.581, 95 % confidence interval [CI]: 1.475-4.516, p = 0.001). After multivariate analysis, this relationship continued to remain significant (HR: 3.110, 95 % CI: 1.724-5.611, p < 0.001).

Current research indicates that the preoperative CONUT score has potential application as a predictor of prognosis in patients with GBM. Thus, it is important that patients with GBM undergo perioperative nutrition interventions according to their CONUT scores, which would be an effective treatment plan to improve their survival and prognosis.