Nutritional Indices Are Associated with Mortality in the Elderly Patients Undergoing Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion:...

We investigated the prognostic value of nutritional indices in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) undergoing percutaneous left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO).

This two-center retrospective study enrolled 151 patients (median age 75, IQR: 69-80) undergoing LAAO. The Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) score, Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI), and Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI) were calculated preoperatively. Endpoints included all-cause mortality (primary), postoperative bleeding, and stroke. Associations with mortality were analyzed using multivariable Cox regression models.

Over a median follow-up of 8 months (IQR: 5-13), 28 patients (18.5%) died. In multivariable analyses (adjusted for age, sex, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease), each 1-point increase in the CONUT score was associated with a higher risk of all-cause mortality (HR 1.196, 95% CI 1.029-1.390; p = 0.020), whereas higher GNRI values were associated with a lower mortality risk (HR 0.956, 95% CI 0.915-0.998; p = 0.042). In contrast, PNI was not associated with mortality (p = 0.993). Nutritional indices did not significantly predict secondary outcomes like bleeding or stroke.

These findings suggest that malnutrition is strongly and independently associated with mortality in high-risk AF patients receiving LAAO. The CONUT score demonstrates the most robust association in this population, highlighting the importance of metabolic reserves.