Abstract 7375: The epidemiology and outcomes of protein-energy malnutrition in lung cancer patients admitted with sepsis: A population-based study
Authors: Adamsegd Isac Gebremedhen, Abdu Osman Mohammed, Mamdouh Souleymane, Reesha Bodiwala, Awasi Marcel, Avantika Thapa, Muhammad O. Jamil
Journal: Cancer Research (2025)

Abstract IntroductionLung cancer patients are at high risk for infection-associated complications. Protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) is common among lung cancer patients. PEM is associated with worse outcomes and longer hospital stays in various cancers, but its impact on lung cancer patients with sepsis is not well studied.This study aims to explore how PEM affects in-hospital outcomes in lung cancer patients admitted with sepsis.MethodWe identified adult patients with lung cancer from the National Inpatient Sample who were admitted with sepsis as the principal diagnosis from 2018 to 2021, using ICD-10 codes. The cohort was categorized based on the presence or absence of protein-energy malnutrition (PEM), and complex sampling weights were applied to ensure national representativeness. Our primary outcome was all-cause mortality, and we analyzed several secondary outcomes. Multivariate regression models evaluated outcome disparitiesbetween the groups, with statistical significance set at p &amp;lt; 0.05.ResultsWe identified a total of 186, 275 adults with lung cancer who were admitted with the principal diagnosis of sepsis from 2018 to 2021. Among these, 51, 065 patients (27.4%) had a concurrent diagnosis of PEM.The PEM group had a higher proportion of male (57.9% vs 53.9%, p&amp;lt;0.001) and non-white (28.3% vs 22.1%, p&amp;lt;0.001) patients. Patients with PEM had higher odds of all-cause mortality with an aOR (adjusted odds ratio) of 1.11 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.05-1.18). They also had higher odds of respiratory failure (aOR 1.15, 95% CI 1.10-1.21), mechanical ventilation use (aOR 1.11, 95% CI 1.02- 1.21), septic shock (aOR 1.15, 95% CI 1.09-1.21) and vasopressor use (aOR 1.17, 95% CI 1.04-1.31).Furthermore, they experienced longer hospital stays (8.9 vs 6.5 days) with an adjusted incidence rate ratio (aIRR) of 1.32 (95% CI 1.30-1.35) and higher hospitalization charges ($109, 925 vs $81, 376) with aIRR of 1.27 (95% CI 1.23-1.31).ConclusionOur study revealed that lung cancer patients with PEM admitted with sepsis had significantly higher odds of all-cause mortality and other adverse outcomes compared to those without PEM. They also experienced longer hospital stays and higher hospitalization charges. These results underscore the critical need to address PEM in lung cancer patients and adjust inpatient care to minimize complications in this high-risk population. Citation Format: Adamsegd Isac Gebremedhen, Abdu Osman Mohammed, Mamdouh Souleymane, Reesha Bodiwala, Awasi Marcel, Avantika Thapa, Muhammad O. Jamil. The epidemiology and outcomes of protein-energy malnutrition in lung cancer patients admitted with sepsis: A population-based study [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2025; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2025 Apr 25-30; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2025;85(8_Suppl_1):Abstract nr 7375.