Malnutrition is a component of frailty syndrome characterized by weakness, poor nutritional status, and reduced cognitive function. Frailty has been recognized to adversely affect post-cardiovascular surgery outcomes, with studies primarily in the elderly. To date, there are no published Philippine data on malnutrition and frailty in cardiac surgery patients.

Malnutrition and frailty were assessed preoperatively in 111 adult patients undergoing cardiovascular surgery from October 2020 to February 2021. Nutrition Risk Screening (NRS) tool and Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) were used for assessment, respectively. Their in-hospital postoperative outcomes were then observed.

There were 57 patients (51%) diagnosed with malnutrition, 26 (23%) of whom were also frail. Advanced age, rheumatic heart disease, heart failure, and chronic kidney disease were significantly higher in the malnutrition and frail group. After multivariate analysis, mortality rate (odds ratio [OR], 7.8; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.45-41.91; P = 0.017), prolonged hospitalization (OR, 5.96; 95% CI, 2.14-16.53; P = 0.001), mechanical ventilation (OR, 7.56; 95% CI, 1.81-31.62; P = 0.006), and nosocomial infections (OR, 13.57; 95% CI, 4.41-41.76; P < 0.001) were found higher in patients with malnutrition and frailty.

Evaluation of nutrition and frailty status using NRS and CFS was helpful in predicting postoperative outcomes. With a significant number of this population having malnutrition and frailty, there is a need to strengthen clinical pathways on perioperative nutrition and rehabilitation with the possibility of improving cardiovascular surgery outcomes.