Background: Acute myocardial infarction is often accompanied by malnutrition, which is associated with an imbalance between catabolic and anabolic processes. This ultimately leads to cardiac cachexia, which worsens the patient’s prognosis. We aimed to assess the correlation between nutritional status, assessed using the controlling nutritional status (CONUT) score, and the rate of major cardiovascular adverse events (MACE). Methods: The present investigation was a non-randomized, prospective, observational study in which 108 patients with acute myocardial infarction were included. Nutritional status was assessed using the CONUT score. Based on the CONUT score, the patients were divided as follows: Group 1—normal or mild nutritional status (CONUT < 3 points, n = 76), and Group 2—moderate to severe nutritional deficiency (CONUT ≥ 3 points, n = 32). Demographic, echocardiographic, and laboratory parameters were obtained for all patients, as well as the MACE rate at 1 and 3 months of follow-up. Results: The MACE occurred more frequently in patients with impaired nutritional status at both 1-month follow-up (46.9% versus 9.2%; p < 0.0001) and 3-month follow-up (68.8% versus 10.5%; p < 0.0001). In terms of cardiovascular events, patients with poor nutritional status, with a CONUT score ≥ 3, presented more frequent non-fatal myocardial infarction, stroke, revascularization procedure, and ventricular arrhythmia. Also, the number of cardiovascular deaths was higher in the undernourished group. Conclusions: This study found that patients with poor nutritional status experienced inflammatory status, frailty, and cardiovascular events more often than those with normal nutritional status at 1-month and 3-month follow-up after an acute myocardial infarction.

There is currently little research on the effects of reduced left ventricular ejection fraction and altered nutritional status in patients with acute myocardial infarction. We therefore examined the interrelationship between the parameters of left ventricular dysfunction after acute myocardial infarction and changes in the Geriatric Nutrition Risk Index (GNRI) and the Nutrition Status Control Index (CONUT). Based on the evidence, frailty is considered to be an important factor affecting the prognosis of cardiovascular disease, so it is important to detect malnutrition early to prevent adverse cardiovascular events. This study was an observational, prospective study that included a total of 73 subjects who presented at the 3-month AMI follow-up. All subjects were subjected to laboratory tests and the groups were divided as follows: group 1, in which we calculated the CONUT score, (CONUT < 3 points, n = 57) patients with normal nutritional status and patients with moderate to severe nutritional deficiency (CONUT ≥ 3, n = 16). In group 2, the GNRI score was calculated and out of the 73 patients we had: GNRI ≥ 98, n = 50, patients with normal nutritional status, and GNRI < 98, n = 23, patients with altered nutritional status. The results of this study showed that we had significant differences between LVEF values at 3 months post-infarction where, in the CONUT group, patients with altered nutritional status had lower LVEF values (46.63 ± 3.27% versus 42.94 ± 2.54%, p < 0.001) compared to CONUT < 3. Also, in the GNRI group, we had lower LVEF values in patients with impaired nutritional status (46.48 ± 3.35% versus 44.39 ± 3.35%, p = 0.01). It can be seen that LVEF values are improved at 3 months post infarction in both groups, in patients with impaired nutritional status and in patients with good nutritional status. Patients with impaired nutritional status have lower ejection fraction and worse outcomes in both the CONUT and GNRI groups at 3 months post acute myocardial infarction.

Considering the increasing consumer demand for natural meat tenderization methods, this study explores the potential of Aspergillus oryzae (Koji) to enhance beef quality. The aim of this study was to evaluate the enzymatic effect of Aspergillus oryzae (A. oryzae) on the physicochemical and sensory characteristics, as well as the perception of satiety, in Angus beef. Two distinct anatomical cuts, the neck and the round, were subjected to enzymatic aging using four different Koji-based mixtures. Parameters such as water content, thermal preparation (grilling) loss, expressible moisture, and pH were determined, supplemented by sensory analysis and a satiety test. Compared to untreated or traditionally marinated samples (Teriyaki sauce), Koji-treated samples exhibited lower grilling loss and improved texture. Sensory analysis highlighted a more intense flavor profile and increased acceptability of the enzymatically treated products. The satiety test indicated a predominantly positive perception of postprandial fullness, with negative ratings being rare and exclusive to the control group. These results support the potential of A. oryzae as a natural alternative for optimizing the technological and sensory quality of red meat, contributing to a favorable consumer experience, including satiety perception.

Introduction. Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is one of the leading causes of death and disability worldwide, and associated malnutrition is a major health problem, being prevalent in many diseases and especially in hospitalized patients, elderly institutionalized patients and chronic patients. The main aim of this study is to identify the relationship between malnutrition, as assessed by the prognostic nutritional index (PNI), and inflammatory status in post-AMI patients. Materials and method. In this study, 109 post-acute myocardial infarction patients who received percutaneous treatment at the Targu-Mureș County Emergency Clinical Hospital were evaluated also for their PNI nutritional score, the group being divided into two categories (those with a score >38 and those with ≤38). Inflammatory status was assessed based on serum values of highly sensitive C-reactive protein and B-type pro-type natriuretic peptide. Results. Patients with PNI≤38 had statistically significantly higher hsCRP values on both day 1 and day 5 post-AMI. Also, the left ventricular dysfunction parameter (NTproBNP), both on day 1 and day 5, was significantly higher in moderate/severe malnutrition risk patients. In contrast, FEVS on day 1 post-AMI recorded a lower value in the same category of patients. Conclusions. Using the PNI in conjunction with inflammatory biomarkers demonstrated that patients with moderate/severe malnutrition had a significantly poorer prognosis compared to those with normal nutritional status.