Statistical & Clinical Analysis
CONUT (Controlling Nutritional Status) Score (0–12) Formula: Automated Hospital Lab Screen
Automate inpatient malnutrition screening from three routine blood labs—Serum Albumin (0, 2, 4, 6 pts), Total Lymphocytes (0, 1, 2, 3 pts), and Total Cholesterol (0, 1, 2, 3 pts)—using Ignacio de Ulíbarri’s (2005) CONUT Score (0–12).
Why CONUT doubles Albumin’s point weight (0–6 pts) alongside Lymphocytes (0–3) and Cholesterol (0–3)!
Developed at Hospital Universitario de la Princesa (Madrid) by J. Ignacio de Ulíbarri et al. (2005, Nutrición Hospitalaria), the Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) score automates hospital-wide malnutrition screening directly from routine admission laboratory panels—requiring zero bedside anthropometry! CONUT combines three complementary metabolic axes: Protein reserves via Serum Albumin (g/dL), Immune defenses via Total Lymphocyte Count (/uL), and Caloric depletion via Total Cholesterol (mg/dL)!
Because hypoalbuminemia carries the highest prognostic sensitivity, Albumin is weighted 2x: >= 3.50 g/dL = 0 pts, 3.00–3.49 = 2 pts, 2.50–2.99 = 4 pts, < 2.50 = 6 pts! Total Lymphocytes score >= 1600 /uL = 0 pts, 1200–1599 = 1 pt, 800–1199 = 2 pts, < 800 = 3 pts; and Total Cholesterol scores >= 180 mg/dL = 0 pts, 140–179 = 1 pt, 100–139 = 2 pts, < 100 = 3 pts! Total CONUT (0–12) classifies Normal (0–1), Light Undernutrition (2–4), Moderate Undernutrition (5–8), and Severe Undernutrition (9–12)!
| CONUT Total Score (0–12 Points) | Ulíbarri et al. (2005) Undernutrition Alert Tier | Clinical Nutrition Action |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to 1 Points | Normal Nutritional Status | Routine inpatient diet; repeat weekly if prolonged stay |
| 2 to 4 Points | Light Undernutrition | Oral protein-energy enrichment & intake tracking |
| 5 to 8 Points | Moderate Undernutrition | Dietitian evaluation & targeted nutritional therapy |
| 9 to 12 Points | Severe Undernutrition | Urgent specialized enteral/parenteral nutrition team consult |
Exact 12-Point CONUT Score from Albumin (g/dL), Lymphocytes (/uL) & Total Cholesterol (mg/dL)
Sums Ulíbarri’s weighted point tiers across Albumin B2 (0, 2, 4, 6), Lymphocytes B3 (0, 1, 2, 3), and Cholesterol B4 (0, 1, 2, 3).
=IF(OR(B2 <= 0, B2 > 8, B3 <= 0, B4 <= 0), "Invalid Lab Inputs (Use Albumin g/dL, TLC /uL, Cholesterol mg/dL)", IF(B2 >= 3.5, 0, IF(B2 >= 3, 2, IF(B2 >= 2.5, 4, 6))) + IF(B3 >= 1600, 0, IF(B3 >= 1200, 1, IF(B3 >= 800, 2, 3))) + IF(B4 >= 180, 0, IF(B4 >= 140, 1, IF(B4 >= 100, 2, 3))))CONUT 4-Tier Undernutrition Severity Classifier (0–1 Normal / 2–4 Light / 5–8 Moderate / 9–12 Severe)
Classifies the total 0–12 CONUT score into Normal, Light, Moderate, or Severe Undernutrition.
=IF(OR(B2 <= 0, B2 > 8, B3 <= 0, B4 <= 0), "Invalid Lab Inputs", IF((IF(B2 >= 3.5, 0, IF(B2 >= 3, 2, IF(B2 >= 2.5, 4, 6))) + IF(B3 >= 1600, 0, IF(B3 >= 1200, 1, IF(B3 >= 800, 2, 3))) + IF(B4 >= 180, 0, IF(B4 >= 140, 1, IF(B4 >= 100, 2, 3)))) >= 9, "Severe Undernutrition (CONUT 9–12)", IF((IF(B2 >= 3.5, 0, IF(B2 >= 3, 2, IF(B2 >= 2.5, 4, 6))) + IF(B3 >= 1600, 0, IF(B3 >= 1200, 1, IF(B3 >= 800, 2, 3))) + IF(B4 >= 180, 0, IF(B4 >= 140, 1, IF(B4 >= 100, 2, 3)))) >= 5, "Moderate Undernutrition (CONUT 5–8)", IF((IF(B2 >= 3.5, 0, IF(B2 >= 3, 2, IF(B2 >= 2.5, 4, 6))) + IF(B3 >= 1600, 0, IF(B3 >= 1200, 1, IF(B3 >= 800, 2, 3))) + IF(B4 >= 180, 0, IF(B4 >= 140, 1, IF(B4 >= 100, 2, 3)))) >= 2, "Light Undernutrition (CONUT 2–4)", "Normal Nutritional Status (CONUT 0–1)"))))Try the example
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