Prognostic nutritional index (PNI): A predictive factor for elderly patients with COPD

Background: Exacerbation causes deterioration of quality of life and worsens respiratory dysfunction, which leads to poor prognosis in patients with COPD. In an aging society, nutritional indices have been reported as significant prognostic factors in many diseases in recent years. However, the relationship between the nutritional indicators and the prognosis in elderly patients with COPD is unknown. Material and Methods: We enrolled Nighty-four subjects who performed spirometry, blood tests, and MDCT. The subjects were divided into two groups according to age: the subjects >75 (n=56) and the subjects Results: There was no significant correlation between PNI and FEV1%pred or the percentage of attenuation volume (LAV%). There were significant differences between the groups with/without exacerbation in PNI, serum albumin, and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio(NLR) in patients with age >75. The multivariate analysis showed that FEV1%pred was a significant predictor in the patients age 75. Conclusion: In patients with age >75, prognostic nutritional index was significantly related to COPD exacerbation risk more than the severity of COPD. Nutritional status may be a potential prediction of clinical course in elderly patients with COPD.