Abstract
Introduction: A high controlling nutritional status (CONUT) score represents a poor nutritional status and is associated with infection, but its association with pyogenic spondylitis (PS) has not been well examined. The aim was to investigate nutritional status using the modified CONUT score in patients with PS.
Methods: Using the data from one university hospital between January 2020 and May 2022, 26 patients (15 males, 11 females) were included. Their average age was 71 (23-89) years. Baseline nutritional status was calculated using the modified CONUT tool (serum albumin, lymphocytes, hemoglobin). Baseline MRI was used to evaluate the spread of infections.
Results: No patient had a normal nutritional status; 6, 9, and 11 patients had light, moderate, and severe malnutrition, respectively, with no significant difference in age among the three groups (average age 65, 71, and 73 years, respectively). In the light malnutrition group, 4 patients had vertebral discitis (VD), and 2 had VD and spinal epidural abscess (SEA). In the moderate malnutrition group, 5 patients had VD, 1 had VD and SEA, 2 had VD and iliopsoas abscess (IA), and 1 had VD, SEA, and IA. In the severe malnutrition group, 5 patients had VD, 1 had VD and SEA, 2 had VD and IA, and 3 had VD, SEA, and IA. Participants with a high modified CONUT score had more infection sites. The length of hospital stay was 45, 34, and 62 days, and the discharge to home rate was 66.7%, 55.6%, and 36.4% in the light, moderate, and severe malnutrition groups, respectively.
Conclusions: Poor nutritional status was found to be associated with more abscesses and a low discharge rate in patients with PS. Nutritional assessment with the modified CONUT score suggests that the score may predict clinical outcomes.
