Prognostic Nutritional Index Could Serve as a Reliable Prognostic Marker in Intensive Care Population

Area of Science:

• Critical Care Medicine
• Clinical Nutrition
• Immunology

Background:

• Intensive care unit (ICU) outcomes are influenced by patient health challenges.
• Nutritional and immune status are critical factors in ICU patient prognosis.
• The prognostic nutritional index (PNI) is an emerging predictor of ICU outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare prognostic nutritional index (PNI) levels between survived and deceased intensive care unit (ICU) patients.
• To evaluate the association between PNI and mortality in ICU settings.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of ICU patients from June 2023 to June 2024.
• Calculation of PNI using serum albumin and lymphocyte levels.
• Statistical evaluation including ROC and logistic regression to assess PNI's predictive value for mortality.

Main Results:

• Deceased patients exhibited significantly lower PNI, platelet counts, and higher C-reactive protein (CRP) and serum creatinine levels compared to survivors.
• The prognostic nutritional index (PNI) demonstrated an independent association with mortality.
• Each unit increase in PNI was linked to a 6% reduction in mortality risk.

Conclusions:

• The prognostic nutritional index (PNI) is a valuable prognostic tool in intensive care units (ICUs).
• Nutritional assessments and interventions are crucial for improving ICU patient outcomes.
• Further research is needed to validate these findings in larger cohorts and explore underlying mechanisms.