Background: Malnutrition is a common condition related to poor prognosis in patients with heart failure (HF). The present study aimed to investigate the impacts of nutritional indices on short-term clinical outcomes and elucidate risk factors associated with the need for nutritional supplementation in patients with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF).
Methods: To evaluate the nutrition index at the beginning of hospitalization, we completed the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) questionnaire and calculated the Nutritional Risk Index (NRI) and the Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) score in patients with ADHF.
Results: Over 40% of hospitalized patients with ADHF had moderate-to-severe nutritional disturbances determined by the NRI, the MNA, and the CONUT score. During a 1-month follow-up, hospitalization was reported in 8 patients, of whom 3 died.  Twenty-five of 58 patients (43%) were categorized as needing nutritional support. Lower body mass indices and total albumin levels were independent predictors of the need for nutritional support (OR, 0.35; 95% CI, 0.13 to 0.97; P=0.044 and OR, 0.36; 95% CI, 0.15 to 0.88; P=0250, respectively).
Conclusions: Over 40% of hospitalized patients with ADHF had moderate-to-severe nutritional disturbances and needed nutritional support. The assessment of nutritional status may provide additional prognostic information and, thus, could be useful in the risk stratification of patients with ADHF. (Iranian Heart Journal 2023; 24(2): 14-22)