To explore nutritional status, inflammatory level and their correlation in elderly patients with lung cancer.

120 patients with lung cancer (observation group) and 120 healthy people (control group) admitted to Yuncheng Central Hospital from October 2016 to March 2019 were selected. The subjective overall nutrition assessment scale (PG-SGA) was used for nutrition assessment, which was divided into class A (0 to 3 points), class B (4 to 8 points), and class C (≥9 points). At the same time, the serum inflammatory indicators [including interleukin-1 (IL-1), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α)] were measured by ELASA method. The nutritional status and inflammation levels of the two groups were compared, and their correlation was analyzed. The comparison between groups was performed using independent sample t test, and the comparison of count data was performed using chi-square test.

The malnutrition patients in the observation group accounted for 85.7%, and the malnutrition patients in the control group accounted for 55.0%, the difference was statistically significant (χ²=32.163, P < 0.05). The levels of IL-1 and TNF-α in the observation group were significantly higher than those in the control group (t=6.052, 4.479, P < 0.01). There was no significant difference in IL-1 levels between patients with different nutritional grades of lung cancer (F=0.143, P > 0.05), and the difference in TNF-α levels was statistically significant (F=50.005, P < 0.01). The levels of IL-1 and TNF-α in well-nourished patients with lung cancer were significantly lower than those with moderate and severe malnutrition (t=-5.068, -9.686, all P < 0.01), and the levels of TNF-α in patients with moderately malnourished lung cancer were significantly lower than those with severe malnutrition (t=-5.584, P < 0.01).

Malnutrition and chronic low-grade inflammation are common in elderly patients with lung cancer. Malnutrition and chronic low-grade inflammation may promote each other.