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. 2023 Apr 18;15(8):1953.
doi: 10.3390/nu15081953.

Serum Interleukin 6, Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) Score and Phase Angle in Patients with Crohn's Disease

Iolanda Cioffi  1   2 , Filippo Scialò  3   4 , Olivia Di Vincenzo  5 , Monica Gelzo  3   6 , Maurizio Marra  2 , Anna Testa  2 , Fabiana Castiglione  2 , Maria Vitale  3 , Fabrizio Pasanisi  2 , Lidia Santarpia  2
Affiliations

Serum Interleukin 6, Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) Score and Phase Angle in Patients with Crohn's Disease

Iolanda Cioffi et al. Nutrients. .

Abstract

Crohn's disease (CD) is a chronic inflammatory disorder that may occur in any segment of the gastrointestinal tract. Asymptomatic or untreated inflammation along with malnutrition can often coexist in patients with CD, impairing clinical outcomes, therefore the aim of this study was to assess the relationship between inflammation, malnutrition risk and nutritional status in CD patients. Consecutive adult CD outpatients aged 18-65 years were recruited. Disease activity was clinically defined by the Crohn's Disease Activity Index (CDAI), whilst anthropometry and phase angle (PhA) were measured. The Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) score was retrospectively calculated for screening malnutrition risk and blood samples were taken. A total of 140 CD patients with a mean age of 38.8 ± 13.9 years and an average weight of 64.9 ± 12.0 kg were included. Serum interleukin (IL)-6 concentration was increased in active-CD patients, unrelated to medical treatment, which was associated with CDAI and PhA. Based on the CONUT score, the prevalence of patients with moderate/severe malnutrition risk (score ≥ 5) was 10%, showing lower age, body mass index and fat mass, but higher IL-6 and IL-1β levels than subjects classified as not at risk (score 0-1). Finally, increased IL-6 levels and reduced PhA values were identified as independent predictors of moderate/severe malnutrition risk (p < 0.05). In conclusion, IL-6 increased in active-CD patients, which was inversely correlated with PhA. Although the CONUT score might be helpful for identifying CD patients at moderate/severe risk of malnutrition, larger studies are needed to verify these results in different settings.

Keywords: CONUT score; c reactive protein; inflammatory bowel disease; malnutrition; phase angle.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Differences in cytokines values between active and quiescent CD patients, adjusted by sex and treatment. Data are expressed as estimated means and standard error (SE) for Interleukin-1β (a), Interlukin-6 (b) and Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alfa (c).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Differences in cytokines values between CD patients with different levels of C reactive protein (CRP), adjusted by sex and treatment. Data are expressed as estimated means and standard error (SE) for Interleukin-1β (a), Interlukin-6 (b) and Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alfa (c).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) score distribution.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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