{
  "abstract": "Background: The role of malnutrition as a predictor of postoperative outcome after spine surgery has been increasingly recognized, although its impact on long-term functional recovery is still poorly understood. The present study aims at analyzing the relationship between malnutrition, according to malnutrition severity criteria, and postoperative functional recovery.\n\nObjectives: To determine whether malnutrition before surgery is related to postoperative recovery and adverse events in elective spine surgery.\n\nMethodology: A retrospective cohort analysis was conducted on 900 patients who underwent elective spinal surgery between 2020 and 2024. They were classified into four groups according to the criteria: no malnutrition (n = 270), mild (n = 324), moderate (n = 198), and severe malnutrition (n = 108). Functional outcomes were measured using ODI, VAS, EQ-5D-5L, FIM, and Barthel Index over 12 months. Multivariable logistic regression, Cox proportional hazards regression, repeated-measures ANOVA, and ROC analyses were performed.\n\nResults: Functional recovery progressively deteriorated as malnutrition became more severe. Mean 12-month ODI score was 16.8 ± 9.4 in no-malnutrition patients, compared to 49.8 ± 15.6 in the severe malnutrition group (p < 0.001); while MCID attainment was 90.4% vs. 63.0%. Postoperative complications occurred in 10.4% vs. 59.3% patients, major complications in 3.7% vs. 24.1% patients, and 30-day mortality occurred in 0% vs. 7.4% patients (all p < 0.001). Severe malnutrition was a strong predictor of poor functional outcome (OR = 5.64, 95% CI 3.32 to 9.58; p < 0.001) and poor functional recovery (HR = 0.46, 95% CI 0.35 to 0.60; p < 0.001).\n\nConclusion: Malnutrition according to criteria is a significant predictor of poor functional recovery, postoperative complications, and length of stay after spinal surgery. Preoperative nutrition assessment and optimizing nutrition may help improve outcomes after spinal surgery.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Department of Orthopedics, Xinxiang Central Hospital, The Fourth Clinical College of Henan Medical University , ,"
  ],
  "article_type": "research article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 4,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Daodong Chen"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Yongbo Yang"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Yanjun Guo"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Zhenjun Zhu"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/f4ae8x3e27vfc.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.3389/fnut.2026.1926068",
  "fulltext_url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13727476/?tool=EBI",
  "id": "f4ae8x3e27vfc",
  "issns": [
    "2296-861X"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13727476",
  "language": "eng",
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "heading",
      "Original Research"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "2734|Spine and Intervertebral Disc Pathology"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7223067505",
  "pdf_url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13727476/pdf/?tool=EBI",
  "pmcid": "PMC13727476",
  "pmid": "42978703",
  "published": "2026-10-20",
  "publisher": "Frontiers Media SA",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/f4ae8x3e27vfc.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-11-04T15:20:46Z",
      "native_id": "PMC:PMC13727476",
      "source": "europepmc",
      "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13727476"
    },
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-11-06T12:23:20Z",
      "native_id": "PMC13727476",
      "source": "pmc",
      "url": "https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2026.1926068"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "openalex:2734|Spine and Intervertebral Disc Pathology",
      "subfield": "general"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Association of nutritional risk with postoperative functional outcomes in patients undergoing spinal surgery: a retrospective cohort study",
  "title_text": "Association of nutritional risk with postoperative functional outcomes in patients undergoing spinal surgery: a retrospective cohort study",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-06T12:23:20Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/f4ae8x3e27vfc",
  "venue": "Frontiers in nutrition",
  "versions": []
}