Association of the Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) score with all-cause and cause-specific mortality in patients with diabetic kidney disease: evidence from the NHANES 2009–2018

Abstract

Objective To investigate the association between the Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) score and all-cause and cause-specific mortality in patients with diabetic kidney disease (DKD).Design A retrospective cohort study.Setting and participants Data on patients with DKD from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2009–2018.Primary and secondary outcome measures All-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease (CVD)-related mortality, diabetes-related mortality and nephropathy-related mortality.Results A total of 1714 patients were included, with 1119 (65.29%) in normal nutrition group (a score of 0–1), 553 (32.26%) in mild malnutrition group (a score of 2–4) and 42 (2.45%) in moderate and severe malnutrition group (a score of 5–12), according to the CONUT score. After controlling for age, race, marital status, smoking, hypertension, CVD, diabetic retinopathy, poverty income ratio, antidiabetics, diuretics, urinary albumin to creatinine ratio, uric acid, energy, protein, total fat, sodium and estimated glomerular filtration rate, a higher CONUT score was associated with a significantly greater risk of all-cause death (HR 1.30, 95% CI 1.15 to 1.46, p<0.001). In contrast to patients with a CONUT score of 0–1, those who scored 5–12 had significantly increased risks of all-cause death (HR 2.80, 95% CI 1.42 to 5.51, p=0.003), diabetes-related death (HR 1.78, 95% CI 1.02 to 3.11, p=0.041) and nephropathy-related death (HR 1.84, 95% CI 1.04 to 3.24, p=0.036).Conclusion Moderate and severe malnutrition was associated with greater risks of all-cause death, diabetes-related death and nephropathy-related death than normal nutritional status in DKD. Close monitoring of immuno-nutritional status in patients with DKD may help prognosis management and improvement.