Risk factors of poor nutrition in non-small cell lung cancer patients after chemotherapy: cross-sectional study

This cross-sectional study aimed to analyze the associated factors of poor nutrition in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients after chemotherapy. Concretely, 176 NSCLC patients who attended our hospital from June 2020 to December 2022 were enrolled. Standard-compliant patients were categorized into nutrition group (<i>n</i> = 38) and malnutrition group (<i>n</i> = 70) according to different nutrition statuses. Baseline characteristics and nutrition level were assessed. Associated factors of poor nutrition were analyzed by logistic regression analysis. There were obvious differences between nutrition group and malnutrition group in terms of age (P = 0.041), body mass index (BMI, <i>p</i> = 0.021), residence (P = 0.023), per capita monthly income of family (P = 0.023), tumor staging (P = 0.017), Karnofsky (KPS) score (P <i> <</i> 0.001), effect of chemotherapy (P = 0.045), and nutrition support before chemotherapy only (P = 0.023) and perichemotherapy (P = 0.011). The higher proportion of NSCLC patients was found in malnutrition group relative to nutrition group in terms of having poor nutritional cognition (67.14% vs. 47.37%, P = 0.045), and lacking access to vitamins (65.71% vs. 44.74%, P = 0.047) and trace elements (57.14% vs. 36.84%, P = 0.044). BMI <18.5 (OR = 3.707, P = 0.007, 95%<i>CI</i> (1.434-9.586)), residence in village (OR = 3.426, P = 0.013, 95%<i>CI</i> (1.291-9.092)), and KPS score ≤70 (OR = 7.608, P < 0.001, 95%<i>CI</i> (2.842-20.367)) were associated factors for poor nutrition. Collectively, BMI, residence, and KPS score were associated factors of poor nutrition in NSCLC patients after chemotherapy.