Purpose: The effectiveness and prognostic value of the prognostic nutritional index (PNI) in critically ill patients are unknown. Hence, this study aimed to analyze the relationship between the PNI and all-cause mortality in critically ill patients.
Patients and Methods: Patient data were obtained from the Multiparameter Intelligent Monitoring in Intensive Care III database. The relationship between the PNI and in-hospital mortality was analyzed using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis and a logistic regression model. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to eliminate the bias caused by confounding factors. The Kaplan–Meier curve and Cox regression model were used to test the effect of the PNI on 30-, 90-, 180-, and 365-day mortality.
Results: A low PNI score is an independent risk factor for in-hospital mortality in critically ill patients. A total of 3644 cases were successfully matched using PSM. The PSM group with balanced covariates obtained similar results in the three models, which were statistically significant. The Kaplan–Meier curve and Cox regression model showed that the PNI was negatively correlated with 30-, 90-, 180-, and 365-day all-cause mortality.
Conclusion: The PNI score is an independent risk factor for all-cause mortality in critically ill patients, where a low PNI score is associated with increased mortality.
Keywords: prognostic nutritional index, mortality, critically ill patients, propensity score matching