Trends in nutritional status and factors affecting prognostic nutritional index in ovarian cancer patients during chemotherapy: a prospective longitudinal study based on generalized estimating equations

Abstract Purpose Numerous studies have investigated the relationships between nutritional status and the prognosis of ovarian cancer (OC). However, the majority of these studies have focused on pre-chemotherapy malnutrition, with limited attention given to dynamic changes in nutritional status during chemotherapy and the associated risk factors affecting the prognostic nutritional index (PNI) in OC women. This study aims to explore the variation trend in the nutritional status of OC women over time during chemotherapy and assess its predictive factors. Methods A prospective longitudinal study was conducted from January 2021 to August 2023. Body mass index (BMI), PNI, Nutritional Risk Screening (NRS) 2002, serum albumin, and prealbumin measurements were utilized to assess the nutritional status of OC women. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews before initial chemotherapy (T0) and during the first (T1), third (T2), and fifth (T3) cycles of chemotherapy. Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) were employed for the analysis of potential predictive factors. Results A total of 525 OC women undergoing chemotherapy completed the study. Significantly varied levels of BMI, PNI, and serum concentrations of hemoglobin, albumin, prealbumin, potassium, sodium, magnesium, and calcium were observed in these patients ( p  < 0.05). The prevalence of nutritional risk decreased over time during chemotherapy ( p  < 0.05). Nutritional parameters, including BMI, PNI, and the serum concentrations of albumin and prealbumin, exhibited an upward trend in nutritional status throughout the chemotherapy cycles ( p  < 0.05). Multivariate analysis indicated that higher levels of BMI, serum albumin, prealbumin, absolute lymphocyte count, and hemoglobin ≥ 110 g/L at admission were associated with elevated PNI after chemotherapy ( β  = 0.077, p  = 0.028; β  = 0.315, p  < 0.001; β  = 0.009, p  < 0.001; β  = 1.359, p  < 0.001; β  =  − 0.637, p  = 0.005). Conclusion Patients consistently demonstrated improvements in nutritional risk and status from the initiation to the completion of chemotherapy cycles. Nutritional monitoring of OC women, particularly those exhibiting abnormalities at the commencement of chemotherapy, is crucial. Targeted nutritional support programs should be developed to enhance the prognosis of OC women.