Is CONUT score a prognostic index in patients with diffuse large cell lymphoma?

Turk J Med Sci. 2021 Aug 30;51(4):2112-2119. doi: 10.3906/sag-2101-406.

Abstract

Background/aim: The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) score on the prognosis in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL).

Materials and methods: The present study was a retrospective study. The CONUT score was calculated based on serum albumin, total cholesterol and lymphocyte levels. This study included a total of 266 patients, 131 (49.2%) were female and 135 (50.8%) were male. The median follow-up period was 51 months (range: 1–190).

Results: The median age was 64 years. The cut off CONUT was 1.5. There was a significant difference between patients with high (≥ 2) or low (< 2) CONUT scores in terms of overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). The 5-year OS and PFS in patients with high CONUT score was 52.1% and 49.7%. The 5-year OS and PFS in patients with low CONUT score was 79.8% and 75.6% (p < 0.001). In the multivariate analysis for OS, age ≥ 65 years (HR = 1.80, p = 0.028), Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) > 1 (HR = 2.04, p = 0.006), stage IIIA–IVB disease (HR = 2.75, p = 0.001) and the CONUT score (HR = 1.15, p = 0.003) were found statistically significant. In the multivariate analysis for PFS, age ≥ 65 years (HR = 2.02, p = 0.007), stage IIIA–IVB disease (HR = 2.42, p = 0.002) and the CONUT score (HR = 1.19, p = 0.001) were found to be significant parameters.

Conclusion: High CONUT score reduces OS and PFS in DLBCL. CONUT score is an independent, strong prognostic index in patients with DLBCL.

Keywords: Lymphoma; prognosis; survival; Controlling Nutritional Status score.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / therapeutic use
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Lymphocytes
  • Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / drug therapy
  • Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / mortality*
  • Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / pathology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Nutritional Status
  • Prognosis
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Survival