Association between Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) score and neurocognitive dysfunction in patients...

Malnutrition is a common complication in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis (PD) and has been associated with adverse clinical outcomes, including neurocognitive dysfunction. The Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) score is an objective laboratory-based nutritional assessment tool; however, its relationship with cognitive performance in PD remains unclear. This study investigated the association between the CONUT score and neurocognitive performance in patients receiving maintenance PD.

This cross-sectional study included 108 adults undergoing maintenance PD. Nutritional status was assessed using the CONUT score, and patients were classified as having normal nutritional status (CONUT 0-1) or malnutrition (CONUT ≥2). Cognitive performance was evaluated using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Multivariable linear regression analyses were performed to identify factors independently associated with cognitive performance.

Of the 108 patients, 46 (42.6%) were classified as malnourished. Compared with those with normal nutritional status, malnourished patients had significantly lower serum albumin, lymphocyte count, total cholesterol, hemoglobin, Prognostic Nutritional Index, and MoCA, while C-reactive protein levels were higher (all p < 0.05). In multivariable analysis, a higher CONUT score was independently associated with lower MoCA scores (B = -0.580, β = -0.237, 95% CI: -1.073 to -0.087; p = 0.022).

Higher CONUT scores were independently associated with poorer neurocognitive performance assessed by the MoCA in patients undergoing PD. The CONUT score may serve as a practical screening tool for identifying patients at increased risk of early neurocognitive dysfunction.