Short Nutritional Assessment Questionnaire as a predictor of undernutrition in cancer patients receiving outpatient chemotherapy: A retrospective study.

Abstract

The purpose of this retrospective study was to verify whether the revised Short Nutritional Assessment Questionnaire© (SNAQ), a simplified nutritional assessment, could be comparable with serum albumin (ALB) levels as a predictor of undernutrition in cancer patients receiving outpatient chemotherapy. Of 111 patients, 79 patients with baseline ALB levels ≥3.5g/dL were included in the analysis. Patients completed the revised SNAQ, which evaluated items including appetite loss, weight loss, nutritional supplement usage, age, and body mass index, using a maximum of 12 points (a score of ≥3 was marked as severe undernutrition). ALB levels were then monitored for 1 year using patient medical records. There was a significant difference in event-free survival (EFS) when the SNAQ scores were classified into two groups [i.e., scores of ≤3 (SNAQ3) or scores of ≥4 (SNAQ4)]. The 150-day EFS rate was 86.8% and 57.6% for SNAQ3 and SNAQ4, respectively (hazard ratio: 2.92; 95% confidence interval: 1.31-6.51; p=0.009). Based on the Cox proportional-hazards analysis, a higher risk of undernutrition was associated with SNAQ4 (compared with SNAQ3), C-reactive protein levels, and serum transthyretin levels. The revised SNAQ is a predictor of undernutrition in cancer patients receiving outpatient chemotherapy. In particular, it is important that patients with a SNAQ score of ≥4 receive dietary guidance at an early stage as they are likely to become undernourished within a year.