Malnutrition Defined by the Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) Criteria in Hospitalized Patients with Ulcerative Colitis and Its Association with Clinical Outcomes

Abstract

(1) Background: The Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) was published in 2019, and its application has been explored in several diseases. However, the data on malnutrition based on the GLIM in ulcerative colitis (UC) patients are sparse. (2) Methods: This single-center, retrospective cohort study included 605 hospitalized UC patients. Demographics and clinical data were collected from electronic medical records. Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 (NRS 2002) was used as a screening tool, and malnutrition was diagnosed according to the GLIM criteria. The skeletal muscle area of the third lumber cross-section in abdominal computed tomography was used to evaluate muscle mass within one week before or after admission. (3) Results: The prevalence of malnutrition was 64.1% in this cohort, and the prevalences were 34.2, 57.7, and 86.7% in UC patients with mild, moderate, and severe disease activity, respectively. Malnourished patients tended to need surgical treatment (p = 0.080) and had a 2.4 times greater risk of opportunistic infection. The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that UC patients with malnutrition had a 1.7-fold increased risk of readmission. (4) Conclusions: Nutritional problems deserve more attention in hospitalized UC patients. Malnutrition identified through the GLIM criteria was associated with opportunistic infection, tended to be associated with surgical treatment, and showed a prognosis value for readmission.