Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index and In-Hospital Mortality and Costs in Older Inpatients With and Without Cancer: A Retrospective Observational Study

Abstract

Aims

To explore the association of the Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI) with in-hospital mortality and costs in older inpatients and to compare these associations between cancer and non-cancer patients to inform clinical practice.

Design

Retrospective observational study.

Methods

A hospital-based study was conducted in Southwest China between January 2018 and December 2020. Demographic, clinical, laboratory and anthropometric data of inpatients aged 65 and over, along with hospitalisation deaths and costs, were collected through the Hospital Information System of a general hospital and its affiliates. GNRI was calculated at admission to assess nutritional risk. Marginal structural models and stratified analyses estimated hospitalisation outcomes for older inpatients with and without various types of cancer across different nutritional risk grades.

Results

Among 37,267 participants, in-hospital mortality and costs increased with higher nutritional risk. Older inpatients with major nutritional risk had significantly higher mortality and costs than those with no nutritional risk. Older cancer inpatients with major nutritional risk had the highest mortality and costs, significantly exceeding those of non-cancer inpatients. For each cancer type, increased nutritional risk was associated with higher in-hospital mortality and costs. Respiratory cancer inpatients with major nutritional risk had the highest mortality, while digestive cancer inpatients had the highest costs.

Conclusion

Higher GNRI-assessed nutritional risk was associated with increased in-hospital mortality and costs in older inpatients, with stronger associations observed in cancer patients compared to non-cancer patients. Integrating GNRI into routine nursing practice could have significant clinical and economic benefits by promoting early nutritional screening in patient care and targeted interventions to reduce mortality and healthcare costs in high-risk populations.

Implications for the Profession and/or Patient Care

Integrating GNRI assessment into routine patient care can effectively identify patients at high risk for in-hospital mortality and costs, allowing for timely nutritional support to enhance patient outcomes. GNRI, as a simple and globally applicable tool, can be integrated into diverse healthcare settings, providing an effective method for nutritional risk screening in older patients. When applying GNRI in clinical nursing and medical practice, special consideration should be given to the presence and type of cancer, as cancer patients with severe nutritional risk may benefit the most from targeted interventions.

Impact

What problem did the study address? This study investigated the association between GNRI-assessed nutritional risk and in-hospital mortality and costs in older inpatients. It further examined whether these associations differ between cancer and non-cancer patients and among different cancer types to improve clinical application.

What were the main findings? The study found that higher nutritional risk assessed by GNRI was associated with increased in-hospital mortality and costs in older inpatients. These associations were stronger in older cancer patients compared to non-cancer patients, with respiratory cancers showing the highest mortality and digestive cancers incurring the highest costs. These findings emphasise the important role of nutritional screening using GNRI in patient care with varying clinical profiles and informing nursing and medical strategies globally, particularly in resource-limited settings.

Where and on whom will the research have an impact? The findings are relevant to older inpatients in hospital settings worldwide, particularly those with cancer, as well as to nurses and healthcare professionals. GNRI provides a practical and easily implementable tool for them to assess nutritional risks upon admission and guide timely nutritional support strategies based on clinical profiles including cancer presence and type in older inpatients. Incorporating GNRI into routine nursing care, nurses and healthcare professionals will be better equipped to address nutritional risks, ultimately improving patient care and optimising clinical and economic outcomes for older patients.

Reporting Method

We have adhered to relevant EQUATOR guidelines, specifically following the STROBE (strengthening the reporting of observational studies in epidemiology) guidelines for reporting this observational study.

Patient or Public Contribution

No public contribution was required in the design or conduct of this research. Patients contributed through data collected from the Hospital Information System, which was used for analysis.