Association between nutritional risk and clinical outcomes in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Objective: To explore the relationship between nutritional risk and clinical outcomes in patients hospitalized for acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease COPD (AECOPD).

Methods: The medical records of 220 AECOPD patients hospitalized between June 2022 and June 2024 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were categorized into two groups based on their Nutritional Risk Index (NRI): high-risk ([NRI] < 92) group and low-risk (NRI ≥ 92) group. Clinical outcomes assessed included albumin levels, arterial blood gas parameters, frequency of exacerbations, in-hospital mortality, length of hospital stays, readmission rates, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Pulmonary function recovery, including forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV₁) and forced vital capacity (FVC), was also evaluated post-treatment.

Results: Compared to the low-risk group, patients in the high-risk group exhibited significantly lower albumin levels (P = 0.007), increased frequency of exacerbations (P = 0.005), higher in-hospital mortality (P = 0.004), prolonged hospital stays (P = 0.001), and elevated readmission rates (P = 0.002). High-risk patients also reported significantly lower physical function (PF) and mental health scores. After treatment, improvements in FEV₁ and FVC were significantly greater in the low-risk group (P < 0.05).

Conclusion: Nutritional risk is closely associated with the severity, prognosis, and recurrence of AECOPD. These findings underscore the importance of nutritional assessment and intervention in the management of hospitalized AECOPD patients.