Cardiac Rehabilitation And Quality Of Life Scores

Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI) Calculator

Clinical calculation support · Verify results before clinical use

Patient laboratory values

Enter values from the same clinical assessment. Use the specified units.

Enter albumin in g/dL. If your laboratory reports g/L, divide the result by 10 first.

Example: 3.5 g/dL

Use the absolute total lymphocyte count, not the lymphocyte percentage.

Example: 1500 cells/mm³

About the PNI

The Prognostic Nutritional Index combines serum albumin and peripheral absolute lymphocyte count. It was originally proposed to support assessment of surgical risk in malnourished patients undergoing gastrointestinal cancer surgery and has since been studied in multiple clinical populations.

Formula

ComponentCalculation
Serum albumin10 × albumin (g/dL)
Absolute lymphocyte count0.005 × lymphocyte count (/mm³)
PNI10 × albumin + 0.005 × lymphocyte count

Commonly used descriptive ranges

PNI valueGeneral description
≥50Higher PNI range
40 to <50Intermediate PNI range
<40Low PNI range

Cutoffs vary by disease, population, endpoint, and study design. These ranges should not be treated as universal definitions of normal nutrition, mild malnutrition, or severe malnutrition.

References

Onodera T, Goseki N, Kosaki G. Prognostic nutritional index in gastrointestinal surgery of malnourished cancer patients. Nihon Geka Gakkai Zasshi. 1984;85(9):1001–1005. Foundational publication; original article details should be checked against the journal record.
Lee SI, et al. Onodera's Prognostic Nutritional Index as a Risk Factor for Mortality in Peritoneal Dialysis Patients. PLoS One. 2012. Full text.
Prognostic nutritional index: A comprehensive review across clinical specialties. Clinical Nutrition Open Science. 2026;66:100601. DOI: 10.1016/j.nutos.2025.11.008. Reviews cross-specialty use and notes limitations of variable cutoffs and confounding by inflammation.
Clinical disclaimer: This calculator provides a mathematical PNI estimate and general context only. PNI is not a stand-alone diagnostic test for malnutrition and should not independently determine treatment or prognosis. Albumin and lymphocyte count can be affected by inflammation, acute illness, fluid status, liver disease, medications, and other factors. Use clinical judgement and locally applicable guidance.
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