This original research article investigates the prevalence and clinical significance of malnutrition among Chinese patients with Huntington’s disease (HD), a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by motor, cognitive, and psychiatric decline. The study analyzed 113 genetically confirmed HD patients and 113 healthy controls using three nutritional assessment tools: CONUT, GNRI, and PNI.
The findings showed that malnutrition was significantly more prevalent in HD patients than in healthy controls, particularly when assessed with the CONUT score. Malnutrition was strongly associated with worse motor impairment, reduced functional capacity, advanced disease stage, and cognitive decline. Patients with poorer nutritional status also demonstrated lower scores on the composite Unified Huntington’s Disease Rating Scale (cUHDRS).
The study further used Mendelian randomization analysis to explore causal links between nutritional biomarkers and HD progression. Results suggested that higher lymphocyte counts may contribute to delayed motor deterioration, pointing toward possible immunonutritional mechanisms in disease progression. However, malnutrition itself was not found to independently predict survival outcomes.
The authors conclude that routine nutritional screening should become an important component of HD management and that future research should investigate nutritional and immune-targeted interventions to improve patient outcomes.