Prognostic value of pretreatment systemic immune-inflammation index in patients with gastrointestinal cancers

The prognostic value of systemic inflammation response index in digestive system carcinomas: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Digestive system carcinomas (DSC) constitute a significant proportion of solid tumors, with incidence rates rising steadily each year. The systemic inflammation response index (SIRI) has been identified as a potential prognostic marker for survival in various types DSC. This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of SIRI in patients with DSC.

METHODS

We conducted a comprehensive literature search of PubMed, Web of Science Core Collection, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases, searching for studies published from inception to May 30, 2023. Eligible studies included cohort studies that assessed the association between pre-treatment SIRI levels and DSC prognosis. We extracted and synthesized hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using STATA/SE 12.0, stratifying HRs based on univariable and multivariable analysis. Due to substantial heterogeneity, we applied a random-effect model for all pooled analyses. The primary outcome of interest was the overall survival (OS), while secondary outcomes included progression-free survival (PFS), disease-free survival (DFS), time to progression (TTP), and disease specific survival (DSS). Publication bias was evaluated using Begg's test and Egger's tests.

RESULTS

A total of 34 cohort studies encompassing 9628 participants were included in this meta-analysis. Notable heterogeneity was observedin the OS (I2 = 76.5%, p < 0.001) and PFS (I2 = 82.8%, p = 0.001) subgroups, whereas no significant heterogeneity was detected in the DFS, TTP, and DSS subgroups. Elevated SIRI was found to be significantly associated with shorter OS (HR = 1.98, 95% CI: 1.70-2.30, tau2 = 0.0966) and poorer PFS (HR = 2.36, 95% CI: 1.58-3.53, tau2 = 0.1319), DFS (HR = 1.80, 95% CI: 1.61-2.01, tau2 < 0.0001), TTP (HR = 2.03, 95% CI: 1.47-2.81, tau2 = 0.0232), and DSS (HR = 1.99, 95% CI: 1.46-2.72, tau2 < 0.0001). Furthermore, an increase in SIRI following treatment was linked to reduced OS, TTP, and DFS, while a decrease in SIRI post-treatment corresponded with improved OS, TTP, and DFS compared to baseline levels.

CONCLUSIONS

Elevated SIRI is associated with poorer clinical outcomes in patients with DSC. This index may serve as a valuable prognostic biomarker, offering a promising tool for predicting survival in DSC patients.

PROSPERO

REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42023430962.

The Effect of Systemic Immune-Inflammatory Index (SII) and Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI) in Early Gastric Cancer

Background

In recent years, the systemic immune-inflammatory index (SII) and prognostic nutritional index (PNI) have been considered potential predictors of survival outcomes in various solid tumors, including gastric cancer. However, there is a notable lack of research focusing on their prognostic implications specifically in the early stage of gastric cancer. This study aims to investigate the prognostic indicators of early gastric cancer (EGC), including neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), SII, PNI, and lymph node metastasis (LNM).

Methods

In this retrospective analysis, we examined 490 patients diagnosed with EGC (pT1Nx). The peripheral blood indices of interest were SII, PNI, PLR, and NLR. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and the area under the ROC curve (AUC) were used to determine optimal cutoff values and prognostic efficacy for each parameter. Additionally, Kaplan-Meier survival curves and multivariate Cox regression models were utilized to delineate independent prognostic factors.

Results

The optimal cutoff values for SII and PNI were determined as 613.05 and 42.21, respectively. Patients in the low SII (SII-L) group demonstrated significantly higher 5-year Disease-Free Survival (DFS) and Overall Survival (OS) rates of 94.7% and 96.2%, compared to the high SII (SII-H) group (DFS: 78.7%; OS: 81.9%), with both differences proving statistically significant (P < 0.001, P < 0.001). Similarly, patients in the high PNI (PNI-H) group showed superior 5-year DFS (93.3%) and OS rates (95.1%) versus the low PNI (PNI-L) group (DFS: 71.4%; OS: 74.3%), also demonstrating statistical significance (P < 0.001, P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis identified SII, PNI, and LNM as independent prognostic factors for EGC. A combined analysis of SII, PNI, and LNM yielded a C-index of 0.723 (P = 0.008).

Conclusion

SII, PNI, and LNM are effective markers for predicting the survival outcomes of patients undergoing radical gastrectomy for EGC.

Development and validation of a risk prediction model for severe postoperative complications in elderly patients with hip fracture

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate risk factors associated with severe postoperative complications following hip fracture surgery in elderly patients and to develop a nomogram-based risk prediction model for these complications.

METHODS

A total of 627 elderly patients with hip fractures treated at Yongchuan Hospital of Chongqing Medical University from January 2015 to April 2024 were collected. 439 patients were assigned to the training cohort for model development, and 188 to the validation cohort for model assessment. The training cohort was stratified based on the presence or absence of severe complications. We employed LASSO regression, as well as univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses, to identify significant factors. A nomogram was constructed based on the outcomes of the multivariate regression. The model's discriminative ability was assessed using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), while calibration plots and decision curve analysis (DCA) evaluated its calibration and stability. Internal validation was performed using the validation cohort.

RESULTS

Out of the 627 patients, 118 (18.82%) experienced severe postoperative complications. Both LASSO regression and multivariate logistic analysis identified the modified 5-item frailty index (mFI-5) and the preoperative C-reactive protein to albumin ratio (CAR) as significant predictors of severe complications. The nomogram model, derived from the multivariate analysis, exhibited strong discriminative ability, with an AUC of 0.963 (95% CI: 0.946-0.980) for the training cohort and 0.963 (95% CI: 0.938-0.988) for the validation cohort. Calibration plots demonstrated excellent agreement between the nomogram's predictions and actual outcomes. Decision curve analysis (DCA) indicated that the model provided clinical utility across all patient scenarios. These findings were consistent in the validation cohort.

CONCLUSIONS

Both the mFI-5 and CAR are predictive factors for severe postoperative complications in elderly patients undergoing hip fracture surgery.

The Role of Glucose-Lymphocyte Ratio in Evaluating the Severity of Coronary Artery Disease

Background: Recently, a new inflammatory and prognostic marker called glucose/lymphocyte ratio (GLR) has been used in patients with coronary artery disease. In this study, we analyzed the correlation between GLR and coronary artery disease (CAD) severity in patients with chronic coronary syndrome (CCS). Methods: The study included 341 patients with CCS who underwent coronary angiography and documented coronary stenosis of 50% or more in at least one major coronary artery and 437 individuals with coronary atherosclerosis between 1% and 50% or no coronary atherosclerosis (control group). Blood samples for GLR and other laboratory parameters were obtained from all patients on admission. GLR was obtained by dividing the glucose level by the lymphocyte count. Results: There were more patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) in the critical CAD group, and glucose levels (p < 0.001), neutrophil counts (p < 0.001), C-reactive protein (CRP) levels (p < 0.001), neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) (p < 0.001), platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR) (p < 0.001), and GLR (p < 0.001) were higher. In contrast, lymphocyte counts were lower (p < 0.034). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that DM and high CRP were independent predictors of critical CAD (p = 0.004 and p = 0.048, respectively). However, high GLR was found to be an independent predictor of critical CAD (p < 0.001). Conclusions: GLR, a simple and easily measured marker, has shown strong predictive value for CAD severity in CCS patients.

Diagnostic insights from chemometric analysis of hemogram inflammatory indexes in male smokers with and without asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

BACKGROUND

Diagnosis of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) becomes difficult in a primary healthcare center due to ambiguous interpretation of spirometry and lack of facility to access established biomarkers. While routine hematological indices are easily available and accessible. The study aimed to evaluate the role of different hemogram indexes in males in COPD, asthma, and healthy smokers.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Lung function tests and complete blood count (CBC) were done for 50 male subjects each from asthma, COPD, and healthy smokers. Multivariate analysis (MVA) was performed on blood indices data set. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was plotted to observe the performance of indexes. Pearson correlation was used to establish association between the lung function and blood indices.

RESULTS

Most of the indices were elevated in COPD. Whereas, asthma patients showed a significant increase in eosinophil basophil ratio (EBR), lymphocyte-monocyte ratio (LMR), and mean platelet volume-platelet count ratio (MPR). Orthogonal (O)- Partial Least-Squares Discriminant Analysis (PLSDA) and variable importance in projection (VIP) score established EBR, neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and LMR, as discriminants for asthma. Whereas, Systemic Inflammatory Response Index (SIRI), NLR and EBR were the key variables for COPD. NLR (r = -0.73, p < 0.001) and SIRI (r = -0.71, p < 0.001) were found to be negatively correlated with forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) percentage of the predicted value (%pred) in asthma and COPD, respectively. EBR showed the sensitivity and specificity of 96% and 86% respectively in asthma. NLR was having sensitivity of 82% and 90% specificity in COPD.

CONCLUSION

Our study in males shows routine hematological indices as being cost-effective, feasible, and seem to have tremendous potential as screening markers among chronic respiratory diseases in a primary healthcare center.

Prognostic and clinicopathological significance of systemic immune-inflammation index in upper tract urothelial carcinoma: a meta-analysis of 3911 patients

Background

Systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), a novel prognostic indicator, is being more commonly utilized in different types of cancer. This research project involved combining information from previously published studies to examine how pre-treatment SII can predict outcomes in individuals with upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC). Further examination of the correlation between SII and clinical and pathological features in UTUC.

Methods

We thoroughly chose pertinent articles from various databases including PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), WanFang database, and Chinese Scientific Journal Database (VIP) until March 10, 2022.The data collected was analyzed using Stata 17.0 software (Stat Corp, College Station, TX). Subsequently, the impact of SII on the survival outcomes of UTUC patients was evaluated by combining HRs with 95% confidence intervals.

Results

Six included studies were finally confirmed, including 3911 UTUC patients in seven cohorts. The results showed that high SII before treatment predicted poor overall survival (HR =1.87, 95%CI 1.20-2.92, p=0.005), cancer specific survival (HR=2.70, 95%CI 1.47-4.96, P=0.001), and recurrence-free survival (HR =1.52, 95%CI 1.12-2.07, P=0.007). And the elevated SII may be related to LVI (present vs. absent) (OR=0.83, 95% CI=0.71-0.97, p=0.018), pT stage (pT ≥3 vs. < 3) (OR=1.82, 95% CI=1.21-2.72, p=0.004), and pN stage (N+ vs. N0) (OR=3.27, 95% CI=1.60-6.71, p=0.001).

Conclusion

A comprehensive analysis of all included articles in this study showed that higher pretreatment SII was related to poorer survival outcomes and adverse pathological features independently.

Systematic review registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier CRD42022316333.

A cross-sectional National Health and Nutrition Examination survey-based study of the association between systemic immune-inflammation index and blood urea nitrogen levels in United States adolescents

Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) level is one of the commonly used indicators to assess renal function and systemic immune-inflammatory status. In the adolescent population, changes in BUN levels may be associated with a variety of factors, including physiologic dehydration, lifestyle influences such as nutritional intake, physical activity, and possible endocrine or metabolic disorders. In recent years, more and more studies have shown that BUN levels are not only a reflection of kidney function, but it may also be related to the inflammatory state of the body. The Systemic Immune Inflammatory Index (SII) is a comprehensive index that takes into account platelet counts, neutrophil and lymphocyte counts, and is thought to be effective in reflecting the body's immune status and inflammatory response. However, research on the relationship between the two, SII and BUN, remains understudied in the adolescent population. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between SII and BUN levels in a population of American adolescents and to further analyze the factors that influence it. We conducted a cross-sectional study using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database. Using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and regression analysis, we explored the relationship between SII and BUN levels. We found a significant negative correlation between SII and BUN levels, with BUN levels decreasing when SII levels increased (BUN as the dependent variable and SII as the outcome variable). We performed a multiple regression analysis of this relationship, controlling for possible confounders such as gender, age, race, and BMI, and found that this negative correlation remained significant. Our findings reveal an important relationship between SII and BUN levels and provide new perspectives for understanding adolescent health.

Prognostic significance of systemic immune inflammatory index in NSCLC: a meta-analysis

Aim: The aim of this meta-analysis was to investigate the relationship between the baseline systemic immune inflammatory index (SII) and prognosis in patients with NSCLC. Materials & methods: The relation between pretreatment SII and overall survival, disease-free survival, cancer-specific survival, progression-free survival and recurrence-free survival in NSCLC patients was analyzed combined with hazard ratio and 95% CI. Results: The results showed that high SII was significantly correlated with overall survival and progression-free survival of NSCLC patients, but not with disease-free survival, cancer-specific survival and recurrence-free survival. Conclusion: The study suggests that a higher SII has association with worse prognosis in NSCLC patients. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42022336270.

Associations between trans fatty acids and systemic immune-inflammation index: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Previous studies have demonstrated that trans fatty acids (TFAs) intake was linked to an increased risk of chronic diseases. As a novel systemic inflammatory biomarker, the clinical value and efficacy of the systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) have been widely explored. However, the association between TFAs and SII is still unclear. Therefore, the study aims to investigate the connection between TFAs and SII in US adults.

METHODS

The study retrieved data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) for the years 1999-2000 and 2009-2010. Following the exclusion of ineligible participants, the study encompassed a total of 3047 individuals. The research employed a multivariate linear regression model to investigate the connection between circulating TFAs and SII. Furthermore, the restricted cubic spline (RCS) model was utilized to evaluate the potential nonlinear association. Subgroup analysis was also conducted to investigate the latent interactive factors.

RESULTS

In this investigation, participants exhibited a mean age of 47.40 years, with 53.91% of them being female. Utilizing a multivariate linear regression model, the independent positive associations between the log2-transformed palmitelaidic acid, the log2 transformed-vaccenic acid, the log2-transformed elaidic acid, the log2-transformed linolelaidic acid, and the log2-transformed-total sum of TFAs with the SII (all P < 0.05) were noted. In the RCS analysis, no nonlinear relationship was observed between the log2-transformed palmitelaidic acid, the log2 transformed-vaccenic acid, the log2-transformed elaidic acid, the log2-transformed linolelaidic acid, the log2-transformed-total sum of TFAs and the SII (all P for nonlinear > 0.05). For the stratified analysis, the relationship between the circulating TFAs and the SII differed by the obesity status and the smoking status.

CONCLUSIONS

A positive association was investigated between three types of TFA, the sum of TFAs, and the SII in the US population. Additional rigorously designed studies are needed to verify the results and explore the potential mechanism.

Comparison of PIV and Other Immune Inflammation Markers of Oncological and Survival Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Radical Cystectomy

Inflammation is widely acknowledged as a significant characteristic of cancer, playing a substantial function in both the initiation and advancement of cancers. In this research, we planned to compare pan-immune inflammation markers and other well-known markers (systemic immune inflammation index and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio) to predict prognosis in individuals treated with radical cystectomy for bladder cancer.

METHODS

In this retrospective analysis, we focused on preoperative PIV, systemic immune inflammation index (SII), and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in 193 individuals managed with radical cystectomy for bladder cancer between January 2016 and November 2022. Multivariable logistic regression assessments were performed to assess the predictive capabilities of PIV, SII, and NLR for infiltration of lymph nodes (N), aggressive tumor stage (pT3/pT4), and any non-organ limited disease at the time of RC. Multivariable Cox regression analyses were conducted to assess the predictive impact of PIV on Relapse-free survival (RFS), Cancer-specific survival (CSS), and Overall survival (OS).

RESULTS

Our individuals were divided into high PIV and low PIV cohorts using the optimal cut-off value (340.96 × 109/L) based on receiver operating characteristic curve analysis for relapse-free survival. In multivariable preoperative logistic regression models, only SII and PIV correlated with the infiltration of lymph nodes, aggressive disease, and any non-organ confined disease. In multivariable Cox regression models considering presurgical clinicopathological variables, a higher PIV was associated with diminished RFS (p = 0.017) and OS (p = 0.029). In addition, in multivariable Cox regression models for postoperative outcomes, a high PIV correlated with both RFS (p = 0.034) and OS (p = 0.048).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study suggests that PIV and SII are two very similar markers that may serve as independent and significant predictors of aggressive disease and worse survival impacts on individuals undergoing radical cystectomy for bladder neoplasm.

Exploring the relationship between malnutrition and the systemic immune-inflammation index in older inpatients: a study based on comprehensive geriatric assessment

BACKGROUND

Malnutrition is a prevalent and major challenge among senior citizens, possibly due to the continual low-grade inflammatory state of the body. A novel inflammatory parameter, the systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), is highly valuable in evaluating and predicting the prognosis of a wide range of diseases. This study aims to explore the significance of the SII in assessing malnutrition in older inpatients.

METHODS

This retrospective study included 500 senior hospitalized patients who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria from the Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment database of the First Hospital of Jilin University. The Mini-Nutritional Assessment (MNA) questionnaire was used to evaluate the nutritional status of patients. The SII was calculated using complete blood counts, and we performed natural logarithm transformation of the SII [ln(SII)]. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to identify the association between ln(SII) and malnutrition. To ensure the stability of the findings, a sensitivity analysis was conducted.

RESULTS

The 500 patients had a mean age of 77.29 ± 9.85 years, and 68.6% were male. In accordance with the MNA, 30.4% of the patients were malnourished or at risk of malnutrition, and patients in this group had considerably greater levels of ln(SII) than patients with adequate nutrition (P < 0.001). The optimum ln(SII) cutoff value for patients with malnutrition or at risk of malnutrition was 6.46 (SII = 635.87) with 46.7% sensitivity and 80.2% specificity [95% CI: 0.613-0.721, AUC: 0.667, P < 0.001]. Multivariable logistic regression demonstrated that ln(SII) was an independent risk factor for the risk of malnutrition or malnutrition in older individuals (OR 3.984, 95% CI: 2.426-6.543, P < 0.001). Other metrics from the geriatric comprehensive assessment, including body mass index, calf circumference, fat ratio, activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living, and geriatric depression scale scores, were also independently correlated with nutritional status.

CONCLUSIONS

According to our research, a high SII is an independent predictor of older inpatient malnutrition, and the SII aids in screening for malnutrition and may be a potential target for intervention. Comprehensive geriatric assessment parameters such as BMI, calf circumference, fat ratio, activities of daily living and depression were also linked to malnutrition.

Systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) and the risk of all-cause, cardiovascular, and cardio-cerebrovascular mortality in the general population

BACKGROUND

An elevated systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) is associated with higher mortality in patients with coronary artery disease and other diseases. However, the potential of SII for predicting mortality in the general population has been underexplored. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the relationship between the SII and all-cause, cardiovascular disease, and cardiocerebrovascular disease mortality in the general population.

METHODS

This study involved 26,855 participants (≥ 18 years) from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999-2014 who were grouped according to the SII tertiles. Survival differences between the groups were analyzed using log-rank tests and Kaplan-Meier plots. Furthermore, multivariate Cox regression and restricted cubic spline analyses were used to examine the relationship between the SII and all-cause, cardiovascular, and cardio-cerebrovascular mortality.

RESULTS

Overall, 1947 (7.425%) participants died following an average follow-up of 87.99 ± 54.04 months. Among these, 325 (1.210%) deaths were related to cardiovascular diseases and 392 (1.459%) to cardio-cerebrovascular mortality. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed statistically significant differences in all-cause, cardiovascular, and cerebrovascular mortality between the SII tertiles (log-rank test: all P < 0.001). Multi-adjusted models showed that participants in the highest tertile of SII had a higher risk of death from all-cause (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.48, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.48-1.48) and cardiovascular mortality (HR = 1.60, 95% CI 1.60-1.61) compared with those in the lowest tertile. In addition, the restricted cubic spline curve indicated a nonlinear association between SII and all-cause mortality (P < 0.001), with threshold value of SII at 18.284. There was a 15% decrease in the risk of all-cause mortality for each twofold change in SII on the left flank (HR = 0.85, 95% CI 0.69-1.05) and a 42% increase (HR = 1.42, 95% CI 1.23-1.64) on the right flank of the inflection point. In addition, the risk of cardiovascular mortality increased nonlinearly by 39% per twofold change in SII (HR = 1.39, 95% CI 1.07-1.81). There was also a nonlinear increase in the risk of cardio-cerebrovascular mortality per twofold change in SII (HR = 1.29, 95% CI 1.00-1.66).

CONCLUSIONS

In the general population, the SII was significantly associated with all-cause, cardiovascular, and cardio-cerebrovascular mortality, regardless of the established risk factors.

Blood-based biomarkers: diagnostic value in brain tumors (focus on gliomas)

Background

Brain tumors, especially gliomas, are known for high lethality. It is currently understood that the correlations of tumors with coagulation and inflammation have been gradually revealed.

Objective

This study aimed to explore the potential value of several reported peripheral blood parameters as comprehensively as possible, with preoperative diagnosis and identification of brain tumors (focus on gliomas).

Methods

Patients with central nervous system tumors (craniopharyngioma, ependymoma, spinal meningioma, acoustic neuroma, brain metastases, meningioma, and glioma) or primary trigeminal neuralgia admitted to our hospital were retrospectively analyzed. The results of the routine coagulation factor test, serum albumin test, and blood cell test in peripheral blood were recorded for each group of patients on admission. Neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), derived NLR (dNLR), platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), lymphocyte-monocyte ratio (LMR), prognostic nutritional index (PNI), the systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), pan-immune-inflammation value (PIV), and their pairings were calculated. Their ability to identify brain tumors and their correlation with glioma grade were analyzed.

Results

A total of 698 patients were included in this retrospective case-control study. Glioma patients had higher NLR, SII, and PIV but lower LMR. The NLR in the brain metastasis group was lower than that in the control, meningioma, and acoustic neuroma groups, but the SII and PIV were higher than those in the ependymoma group. Fibrinogen, white blood cell count, neutrophil count, NLR, SII, and PIV in the GBM group were higher than those in the control group. In all comparisons, NLR and NLR + dNLR showed the greatest accuracy, with areas under the curve (AUCs) of 0.7490 (0.6482-0.8498) and 0.7481 (0.6457-0.8505), respectively. PIV, dNLR + PIV, and LMR + PIV ranked second, with AUCs of 0.7200 (0.6551-0.7849), 0.7200 (0.6526-0.7874), 0.7204 (0.6530-0.7878) and 0.7206 (0.6536-0.7875), respectively.

Conclusion

NLR, PIV, and their combinations show high sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis of brain tumors, especially gliomas. Overall, our results provide evidence for these convenient and reliable peripheral blood markers.

Diagnostic efficacy of systemic immune-inflammation biomarkers in benign prostatic hyperplasia using receiver operating characteristic and artificial neural network

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a chronic, progressive disease characterized by mesenchymal cell-predominance and stromal and glandular cell-hyperproliferation. Although, the precise cause of BPH is unknown, it is believed to be associated with hormonal changes in aging men. Despite androgens and ageing are likely to play a role in the development of BPH, the pathophysiology of BPH remains uncertain. This paper aims to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and systemic immune-inflammation index in in diagnosing BPH. A single-center-randomized-retrospective study was carried out at Alzahraa university hospital between January 2022 and November 2022 on 80 participants (40 non-BPH subjects and 40 patients with symptomatic enlarged prostate) who visited the outpatient clinic or admitted to the urology department. The BPH cases were evaluated by digital rectal examination (DRE), International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), prostate size, prostate specific antigen (PSA), TRUS biopsy in elevated PSA > 4 ng/ml, PLR, NLR and systemic immune inflammatory (SII). The diagnosing efficiency of the selected parameters was evaluated using Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) and Artificial Neural Network (ANN) showing excellent discrimination with 100% accuracy and AUC = 1 in the ROC curves. Moreover, the accuracy rate of the ANN exceeds 99%. Conclusion: PLR, NLR and SII can be significantly employed for diagnosing BPH.

Association between Systemic Immune-Inflammation Index and Systemic Inflammation Response Index and Outcomes of Acute Ischemic Stroke: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) and systemic inflammation response index (SIRS) are being increasingly used to predict outcomes of various diseases. However, its utility for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) has not been established. Through this first systematic review and meta-analysis, we aimed to collate data on the prognostic ability of SII and SIRI for predicting functional outcomes and mortality after AIS. PubMed, CENTRAL, Scopus, Embase, and Web of Science were searched up to January 5, 2023, for studies reporting the association between SII or SIRI and outcomes of AIS. Adjusted data were pooled in a random-effects model. Meta-regression was conducted for variable cut-offs. Twelve studies were included. Pooled analysis of data showed that high SII was associated with poor functional outcomes after AIS (OR: 2.35 95% CI: 1.77, 3.10 I2 = 44% P < 0.00001). Meta-regression showed an increasing effect size with a higher cut-off of SII. Similarly, the meta-analysis demonstrated that AIS patients with high SIRI were at an increased risk of poor functional outcomes (OR: 1.69 95% CI: 1.08, 2.65 I2 = 78% P = 0.02). No association was noted with different cut-offs on meta-regression. Data on mortality were scarce but were suggestive of a higher risk of mortality with high SII and SIRI. SII and SIRI can be used to predict poor functional outcomes in AIS patients. Data on mortality are scarce to derive strong conclusions. Limited number of studies and variable cut-offs are important limitations that need to be overcome by future studies.

Predictive value of systemic immune-inflammation index in recurrent urethral strictures

PURPOSE

To investigate the predictive value of systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) in recurrence of urethral stricture in patients undergoing internal urethrotomy.

METHODS

In this two-center, retrospective study, 703 patients who had internal urethrotomy for urethral stricture were included. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory characteristics and operative data were obtained. Two groups were formed from the patients as non-recurrent urethral stricture (n = 490) and recurrent urethral stricture (n = 213).

RESULTS

There was no significant difference in the mean age between the patients with and without recurrence. There was a significant difference in the mean SII values and albumin levels between the recurrence and non-recurrence groups (p = 0.001 and p = 0.006, respectively). Using a cut-off value of 252 for the SII; the sensitivity was 59.62%, the specificity was 70.41%, the positive predictive value was 46.69%, the negative predictive value was 80.05% and the accuracy was 67.14%, respectively. Statistically significant correlation was found between the presence of recurrence and the established cut-off value of the SII (p = 0.001 and p < 0.01, respectively). The risk of recurrence was stated that 3.514 times higher in patients with a SII value of ⩾252.

CONCLUSION

Using the SII the inflammatory state of the urethral tissue can be evaluated. Thus the risk of recurrence after internal urethrotomy operation can be predicted. Open urethroplasty technique instead of DVIU in patients with high SII values may increase the surgical success rates.

Changes in Inflammatory Biomarkers in Patients with Schizophrenia: A 3-Year Retrospective Study

Objective

Accumulating evidence suggested that immune system activation might be involved in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. The neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), monocyte/lymphocyte ratio (MLR), platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) can measure inflammation. This study aimed to investigate the inflammatory state in patients with schizophrenia by using these indicators.

Methods

In this study, the complete blood count data for 187 continuing hospitalized patients with schizophrenia and 187 age- and sex-matched healthy participants was collected annually from 2017 to 2019. Platelet (PLT), lymphocyte (LYM), monocyte (MON) and neutrophil (NEU) counts were aggregated and NLR, MLR, PLR, and SII were calculated. Using a generalized linear mixed model, we assessed the impact of age, sex, diagnosis, and sampling year on the above indicators and evaluated the interaction between the factors.

Results

According to the estimation results of the generalized linear mixed model, the NLR increased by 0.319 (p = 0.004), the MLR increased by 0.037 (p < 0.001), and the SII increased by 57.858 (p = 0.018) in patients with schizophrenia. Data after two years of continuous antipsychotic treatment showed that the NLR and MLR were higher in patients with schizophrenia than those in healthy controls, while the PLT and LYM counts were decreased in patients with schizophrenia. The schizophrenia diagnosis was correlated to the MON and LYM count, NLR, MLR, and SII (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

The differences in these markers were stable and cannot be eliminated by a full course of treatment. This study provides impetus for the inflammatory hypothesis of schizophrenia.

Dynamic change of the systemic immune inflammation index is a risk factor for patients with oropharyngeal cancer: a case control study and an additional HPV-status subgroup analysis

BACKGROUND

The study aimed to analyze the relationship between the dynamic systemic immune inflammation index (SII), human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, and the prognosis of oropharyngeal cancer patients.

METHOD

We retrospectively obtained the data for 131 patients treated with curative treatments and calculated their SII values based on results acquired approximately 9 months after the first treatment. The entire cohort was divided into groups according to dynamic SII and HPV infection, and their prognoses were compared.

RESULTS

The high SII group, particularly the persistently high SII group, had a poor prognosis, and static SII levels cannot fully reflect the prognosis of patients with oropharyngeal cancer. In HPV- patients, unfavorable dynamic SII and the site of tumor locating at the tongue base were all significantly associated with decreased disease-free survival. In contrast, no characteristic was presented as a poor prognostic factor for disease-free or overall survival in HPV+ patients.

CONCLUSION

Dynamic SII values are more comprehensive prognostic indicators for oropharyngeal cancer patients, particularly HPV- patients. It could imply that an HPV- oropharyngeal cancer patient who experienced unfavorable dynamic changes in SII should receive more frequent tests or more advanced therapies.

Performance of the systemic immune-inflammation index in predicting survival to discharge in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest

Objective

To investigate whether the systemic immune-inflammatory index (SII) could be used as a prognostic marker of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA).

Methods

We evaluated patients aged 18 years and older, who presented to the emergency department (ED) due to OHCA between January 2019 and December 2021 and achieved the return of spontaneous circulation after successful resuscitation. Routine laboratory tests were obtained from the first blood samples measured following the patients' admission to ED. The neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) were calculated by dividing the neutrophil and platelet counts by the lymphocyte count. SII was calculated as platelets × neutrophils / lymphocytes.

Results

Among the 237 patients with OHCA included in the study, the in-hospital mortality rate was 82.7%. The SII, NLR, and PLR values were statistically significantly lower in the surviving group than in the deceased group. The multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that SII [odds ratio (OR): 0.68, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.56-0.84, p = 0.004] was an independent predictor of survival to discharge. In the receiver operating characteristic analysis, the power of SII to predict survival to discharge [area under the curve (AUC): 0.798] was higher than either NLR (AUC: 0.739) or PLR (AUC: 0.632) alone. SII values below 700.8% predicted survival to discharge with 80.6% sensitivity and 70.7% specificity.

Conclusion

Our findings showed that SII was more valuable than NLR and PLR in predicting survival to discharge and could be used as a predictive marker for this purpose.

High Expression Level of BRD4 Is Associated with a Poor Prognosis and Immune Infiltration in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Bromodomain-containing protein 4 (BRD4) is a reader of histone acetylation and is associated with a variety of diseases.

AIM

To investigate the expression level of BRD4 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), its prognostic value and its relationship with immune infiltration.

METHODS

The study included 94 ESCC patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and 179 ESCC patients from Affiliated Hospital 2 of Nantong University. The expression levels of proteins in tissue microarray were detected by immunohistochemistry. The prognostic factors were analyzed by Kaplan-Meier curve and univariate and multivariate cox regression. The ESTIMATE website was used to calculate the stromal, immune and ESTIMATE score. CIBERSORT was used to calculate the abundance of immune infiltrates. Spearman and Phi coefficient were used for correlation analysis. The TIDE algorithm was used to predict treatment response to immune checkpoint blockade.

RESULTS

BRD4 is up-regulated in ESCC, and high BRD4 expression level is associated with poor prognosis and adverse clinicopathological features. In addition, the monocyte count, systemic inflammatory-immunologic index, platelet-lymphocyte ratio, and monocyte-lymphocyte ratio in the BRD4 high expression level group were higher than in the low expression level group. Finally, we found that BRD4 expression level correlated with immune infiltration and that it was inversely correlated with infiltration of CD8 + T cells. Higher TIDE scores in the BRD4 high expression group than in the low expression group.

CONCLUSION

BRD4 is associated with poor prognosis and immune infiltration in ESCC, and may be a potential biomarker for prognosis and immunotherapy application.

Association of the Systemic Immune-Inflammation Index with Outcomes in Acute Coronary Syndrome Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease

Background

The systemic immune-inflammation index (SII; neutrophil × platelet/lymphocyte) is a novel marker for immune and inflammatory status and is associated with adverse prognosis in cardiovascular disease.

Methods

In total, 744 patients diagnosed with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) were included in our study, received standard therapies, and were followed up. Patients were divided into high and low SII groups according to the baseline SII. The primary endpoint was major cardiovascular events (MACEs), defined as cardiovascular death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, and nonfatal stroke.

Results

During a median follow-up of 2.5 years, a total of 185 (24.9%) MACEs were recorded. Analysis of the ROC curve revealed that the best cutoff value of SII was 1159.84×10⁹/L for predicting MACEs. The Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that those patients in the low SII group had higher survival rates than those in the high SII group (p < 0.001). Compared to those in the low SII group, patients in the high SII group were at significantly higher risk of MACEs (134 (38.8%) vs 51 (12.8%), p < 0.001). Univariate and multivariable Cox regression analyses revealed that a high SII level was independently associated with MACEs in ACS patients with CKD (adjusted hazard ratio [HR]: 1.865, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.197-2.907, p = 0.006).

Conclusion

The present study showed that an elevated SII is associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes in ACS with CKD patients, suggesting that SII may be a valuable predictor of poor prognosis in ACS with CKD patients. Further studies are needed to confirm our findings.

Systemic Immune-Inflammation Index and Mortality in Testicular Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

The systemic immune-inflammation index (SIII) is a marker studied in multiple types of urologic cancer. This systematic review evaluates the association between SIII values with overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) in testicular cancer. We searched observational studies in five databases. The quantitative synthesis was performed using a random-effects model. The risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS). The only measure of the effect was the hazard ratio (HR). A sensitivity analysis was performed according to the risk of bias in the studies. There were 833 participants in a total of 6 cohorts. We found that high SIII values were associated with worse OS (HR = 3.28; 95% CI 1.3-8.9; p < 0.001; I2 = 78) and PFS (HR = 3.9; 95% CI 2.53-6.02; p < 0.001; I2 = 0). No indication of small study effects was found in the association between SIII values and OS (p = 0.5301). High SIII values were associated with worse OS and PFS. However, further primary studies are suggested to enhance the effect of this marker in different outcomes of testicular cancer patients.

Systemic immune-inflammation index predicts prognosis of cancer immunotherapy: systemic review and meta-analysis

Objective: This meta-analysis was designed to explore the association between the systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) and the therapeutic effect of immune checkpoint inhibitors. Materials & methods: The authors retrieved relevant studies published before May 25, 2022. Hazard ratio (HR) with 95% CI was used to evaluate the relationship between SII and overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). Results: 14 articles comprising 2721 patients were included in this study. The pooled results proved that high SII levels were closely related to poor prognosis in cancer patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors (OS HR = 2.40; 95% CI: 2.04-2.82; PFS HR = 1.57; 95% CI: 1.33-1.86) and that an SII value of 750 was appropriate as a cut-off value (OS HR = 2.20; 95% CI: 1.83-2.63; PFS HR = 1.54; 95% CI: 1.33-1.80). Conclusion: High SII levels (>750) may be an indicator of worse OS and PFS in cancer patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors.

Systemic Immun e–Inflammation Index as a Predictor for Head and Neck Cancer Prognosis: A Meta-Analysis

Background

Studies have reported inconsistent results regarding the prognostic value of the systemic immune–inflammation index (SII) in head and neck cancer (HNC). Thus, the present meta-analysis assessed the literature on the prognostic value of SII in those with HNC.

Methods

The Cochrane Library, EMBASE, and PubMed databases were searched, and study methodological quality was assessed using the Newcastle–Ottawa quality assessment scale. To determine the association of the SII with survival outcomes, pooled hazard ratios (HRs) as well as the associated 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used. To assess the associations of the SII with clinicopathological features, the odds ratios (ORs) and corresponding 95% CIs were considered. Begg’s funnel plot and Egger’s linear regression test were used to assess publication bias.

Results

A total of 12 studies that together enrolled 4369 patients with HNC were analyzed. In the pooled results, a high pretreatment SII was correlated with poorer overall survival (HR = 2.09, 95% CI = 1.62–2.70, p < 0.001), disease-free survival (HR = 2.79, 95% CI = 1.99−3.89, p < 0.001), and progression-free survival (HR = 1.80, 95% CI = 1.30−2.48, p < 0.001). A stratified analysis indicated that SII for overall survival was applicable regardless of tumor site, treatment modality, overall stage, sample size, SII cutoff, and method for determining the SII cutoff. Furthermore, a high SII was correlated with a more advanced T classification (OR = 1.14, 95% CI = 1.09–1.18, p < 0.001) and nodal metastasis (OR = 1.55, 95% CI = 1.18–2.05, p = 0.002) in patients with HNC.

Conclusions

An elevated pretreatment SII predicts more advanced tumor and nodal status and poorer survival outcomes in cases of HNC. Because the measurement of SII is convenient and its use is cost-effective, we suggest that it can be applied by clinicians in the management of HNC.

Blood-Cell-Based Inflammatory Markers as a Useful Tool for Early Diagnosis in Colorectal Cancer

Background

Systemic inflammation seems to be involved in the pathogenetic pathways of colorectal cancer (CRC). Analytical markers that reflect the inflammatory status, such as neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR) or systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), have been proposed as tools for the prognosis of CRC. Nevertheless, their use for diagnosis has been scarcely investigated.

Aims

To analyze the ability of these markers and of a new marker combining SII and hemoglobin concentration, named NP/LHb = [neutrophils x platelets]/[lymphocytes x hemoglobin], as tools for CRC diagnosis. Furthermore, we studied their association with CRC-related variables.

Methods

Case-control study including 214 CRC patients and 214 controls without CRC, matched by age (±5 years) and sex. We collected demographic, CRC-related and laboratory variables to calculate NLR, PLR, SII, and NP/LHb. In the case group, the laboratory variables were collected at two different period times, 6 months (IQR 4–8) before the CRC diagnosis and at the time of the diagnosis. ROC analysis was performed to evaluate the discriminatory accuracy of each index and we calculated Se, Sp, PPV, NPV, and OR to identify the diagnostic performance of each positive marker.

Results

NP/LHb showed high Sp (92.06%) and PPV (87.50%) to diagnose patients with CRC. This index exhibited an OR of 14.52 (8.26–25.52) and the best area under the curve (AUC: 0.78) for a positive CRC diagnosis. We found significant differences in all indices according to the presence of CRC, observing the highest values in CRC patients at time of diagnosis, in comparison with the analysis performed in the previous months to diagnosis or with control patients. There were significant differences in all ratios according to TNM stages (p < 0.05). PLR, SII and NP/LHb (but not NLR) showed significant differences according to tumor location (p < 0.05). Right-sided colon cancers presented the highest values, in comparison with left-sided and rectal cancers.

Conclusions

Systemic inflammatory cell ratios (especially NP/LHb) change over time with the development of CRC, so they could be useful in its early diagnosis. We suggest that they could be routinely measured in patients with suspicion of CRC, to identify those ones with a higher risk of cancer, considering the high positive predictive value they have shown in our study.

Data of postoperative complications related to fibrinogen-to-albumin ratio in pancreatic resections

Pancreatic surgery is one of the surgeries burdened with the highest mortality and morbidity rate. This is due both to the aggressive biological nature of the pathology affecting the organ and to the technical difficulties associated with surgery. A further aspect on which research is focusing is represented by inflammation related to oncological pathology. Inflammation plays an important role in tumor progression, and growing evidence has confirmed that the fibrinogen-to-albumin ratio (FAR) is an important prognostic factor for overall survival (OS) in malignant tumors. Inflammatory markers had demonstrated also a role in the prediction of postoperative complication after pancreatic surgery. We speculate that FAR, as an easily available, cost-effective, and non-invasive prognostic indicator for pancreatic cancer patients, could help to identify patients at increased risk of postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF). We therefore retrospectively analyzed the data relating to 117 pancreatic resections relating direct and indirect markers of inflammation with the incidence of post-operative complications.

A Novel Predictor of Contrast-Induced Nephropathy in Patients With Carotid Artery Disease; the Systemic Immune Inflammation Index

Contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) is associated with increased mortality and morbidity. The present study investigated the role of systemic immune inflammation index (SII) in predicting the risk of developing CIN after carotid artery angiography (CAAG). This study included 262 patients who underwent CAAG for symptomatic carotid artery stenosis (CAS). Simultaneous carotid stenting was applied to 232 of these patients. CIN was defined as an increase in serum creatinine level ≥.5 mg/dL or ≥25% above baseline within 72 hours after the procedure. The SII score was calculated as platelet × neutrophil/lymphocyte counts. Patients who developed CIN, had higher glucose (P = .009), total cholesterol (P < .001), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (<.001), and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (P = .001) levels, as well as greater neutrophil counts (P < .001), platelet counts (P < .001), neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (P < .001), and SII score (P < .001) than those who did not develop CIN. The Receiver Operating Characteristic analysis showed that at a cutoff of 519.9, the SII exhibited 80% sensitivity and 64% specificity for detecting CIN. SII levels on admission were independently associated with CIN development after CAAG in patients with CAS.

A New Scoring System to Predict Lymph Node Metastasis and Prognosis After Surgery for Gastric Cancer

BACKGROUND

Lymph node metastasis is one of the most important factors affecting the prognosis of gastric cancer patients. The purpose of this study is to develop a new scoring system to predict lymph node metastasis in gastric cancer using preoperative tests in various combinations of inflammatory factors and to assess the predictive prognosis value of the new scoring system for the postoperative gastric cancer patients.

METHOD

This study includes 380 gastric cancer patients, 307 in the training set and 73 in the validation set. We obtain three inflammatory markers, CRA (C-reactive protein/albumin), SIRI (systemic inflammatory response index), and PLR (platelets/lymphocytes), by calculating and comparing the results of preoperative laboratory tests. By using these three indicators, a new scoring system is developed to predict lymph node metastases, assess patients' prognoses, and compare clinicopathological characteristics in different patient subgroups. A nomogram is constructed to show and assess the predictive efficacy of every index for lymph node metastasis and survival.

RESULTS

In the new scoring system, higher scores are associated with more advanced pathological stage (p < 0.001), perineural invasion (p < 0.001), and vascular invasion (p = 0.001). Univariate and multivariable Cox regression analyses show that perineural invasion, vascular invasion, smoking history, and high scores on the new scoring system are significant risk factors for OS and RFS. High-scoring subgroups as an independent prognostic factor could predict overall survival (OS) and relapse-free survival (RFS). High scores on the new scoring system are significantly associated with the degree of lymph node metastasis (p < 0.001). CAR and PLR play very important roles in predicting lymph node metastasis in gastric cancer. CAR is a vital major marker in the prediction of patient survival.

CONCLUSIONS

The new scoring system can effectively predict the patients' lymph node metastasis with gastric cancer and can independently predict the prognosis of patients.

Systemic immune-inflammation index predicts in-hospital and long-term outcomes in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction

OBJECTIVE

This study examines the predictive value of the novel systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

METHODS

A total of 1660 patients with STEMI who underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI) were enrolled in the study. In-hospital and 3-year outcomes were compared between the four groups (Q1-4). The SII was calculated using the following formula: neutrophil*platelet/lymphocyte.

RESULTS

The frequency of in-hospital cardiogenic shock, acute respiratory failure, acute kidney injury, ventricular arrhythmia, stent thrombosis, recurrent myocardial infarction, major adverse cardiac events and mortality were significantly higher in the high SII groups (Q3 and Q4). Logistic regression models demonstrated that Q3 and Q4 had an independent risk of mortality and Q4 had an independent risk of cardiogenic shock compared to Q1. Receiver operating characteristic analysis showed that the best cutoff value of SII to predict the in-hospital mortality was 1781 with 66% sensitivity and 74% specificity. Kaplan-Meier overall survivals for Q1, Q2, Q3 and Q4 were 97.6, 96.9, 91.6 and 81.0%, respectively. Cox proportional analysis for 3-year mortality demonstrated that Q3 and Q4 had an independent risk for mortality compared to Q1.

CONCLUSION

SII, a novel inflammatory index, was found to be a better predictor for in-hospital and long-term outcomes than traditional risk factors in patients with STEMI undergoing pPCI.

Association between lead and cadmium co-exposure and systemic immune inflammation in residents living near a mining and smelting area in NW China

Exposure to both cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) can promote systemic inflammation. However, the effects of combined exposure to environmental levels of Cd and Pb on systemic immune inflammation have not been fully clarified. A total of 486 subjects (313 women and 173 men) living in either a control area or heavy metal-polluted area were included. Blood Cd and Pb and immune inflammation biomarkers were determined, including the eosinophil-lymphocyte ratio (ELR), neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), lymphocyte-monocyte ratio (LMR), and systemic immune-inflammation index (SII); moreover, the associations between exposure markers and systemic inflammation markers were analysed. The exposure levels in the polluted area were significantly higher than those in the control area. The NLR, PLR, and SII of subjects in the polluted area were higher and the LMR was lower than in the control area. Blood Pb and Cd levels are associated with elevated or decreased immune inflammation biomarkers in subjects from the exposed and control areas. Furthermore, co-exposure to both Cd and Pb was divided into high, middle, and low exposure groups. The subjects in the high co-exposure group displayed higher levels of ELR, NLR, and SII compared with the middle and low co-exposure group, and LMR levels displayed the opposite trend. Our data demonstrate that Cd and Pb co-exposure is associated with systemic immune inflammation, and the immune inflammatory response is aggravated with an increased co-exposure to Cd and Pb.

Systemic immune-inflammation index is a promising non-invasive biomarker for predicting the survival of urinary system cancers: a systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

Systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) has been reported in numerous studies to effectively predict the survival outcomes of urinary system cancers; however no agreement has been reached. This meta-analysis aimed to explore the prognostic significance of pre-treatment SII in tumours of the urinary system.

METHODS

Relevant published articles were selected from Web of Science, PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library up to 30 August 2020. The hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were computed to estimate the associations of pre-treatment SII with overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), cancer-specific survival (CSS) in urinary system cancers.

RESULTS

13 papers were included in our meta-analysis. From the combined data, we found that a high pre-treatment SII indicated a markedly worse OS (HR = 1.98; 95% CI: 1.75-2.23; p < .001), PFS (HR: 2.08; 95% CI: 1.32-3.26; p = .002), and CSS (HR: 2.41, 95% CI: 1.73-3.35, p < .001). Additionally, patients with an elevated SII value might have undesirable pathological characteristics, including a large tumour size, a poor differentiation grade, and an advanced tumour stage (all p < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

Pre-treatment SII could be used as a non-invasive and promising biomarker to indicate the prognosis of urinary system cancer patients.KEY MESSAGES:This meta-analysis evaluates the predictive value of systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) for patients with urinary system cancer.A high pre-treatment SII indicates a poor prognosis.SII can serve as a promising non-invasive biomarker to help clinicians assess the prognosis and develop treatment strategies for urinary system cancer patients.

Usefulness of Preoperative High Systemic Immune-Inflammation Index as a Prognostic Biomarker in Patients Who Undergo Radical Cystectomy for Bladder Cancer: Multicenter Analysis

Evidence of the prognostic value of pretreatment systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) after radical cystectomy (RC) for bladder cancer is limited. This study aims to assess the association between preoperative SII and prognosis after RC for bladder cancer. In this multicenter retrospective study, we calculated preoperative SII as well as the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) in 237 patients who underwent RC for bladder cancer between March 2009 and March 2018. Patients were classified into high SII and low SII groups by using the optimal cutoff value (438 × 10⁹/L) based on receiver operating characteristic curve analysis for cancer-specific death. We compared cancer-specific survival (CSS) and overall survival (OS) between the two groups. To evaluate the prognostic impact of preoperative SII, we also performed Cox proportional regression analyses for CSS and OS. Of 237 patients, 127 patients were classified into the high SII group and 110 patients into the low SII group. During the follow-up period, 70 patients died of bladder cancer (30%) and 21 patients died from other causes (9%). Patients with high SII had significantly lower rates of CSS and OS than those with low SII (p < 0.01 and p < 0.01, respectively). Multivariable Cox proportional hazard analysis showed that high SII was independently associated with poor CSS (p = 0.01) and poor OS (p < 0.01). In conclusion, high SII could be an independent significant predictor of poor prognosis after RC in patients with bladder cancer.

Prognostic significance of the systemic immune-inflammation index in pancreatic carcinoma patients: A meta-analysis

Background: Systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) is a prognostic indicator for several malignancies, including pancreatic carcinoma; however, there is no consensus on its significance. In the current study, a systematic meta-analysis was used to explore the correlation between SII and prognosis in pancreatic carcinoma patients.

Methods: PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Library databases were screened from inception to May 2020. Studies describing the prognostic role of SII in pancreatic carcinoma were then retrieved. The pooled hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) was calculated using random- or fixed-effects models to determine the correlation between SII and prognosis.

Results: A total of four studies, comprising 1749 patients, met the inclusion criteria of the study and were therefore included in this meta-analysis. The meta-analysis showed that high SII indicated was correlated with worse overall survival (OS) in patients with pancreatic carcinoma (HR: 1.43, 95% CI: 1.24–1.65, P<0.001). These findings were validated through subgroup analyses, stratified by the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stage. In addition, patients with high SII showed poorer cancer-specific survival (HR: 2.32, 95% CI: 1.55–3.48, P<0.001). However, analysis showed no significant correlations between SII and disease-free and relapse-free survival (RFS).

Conclusion: These findings indicate that SII is a potential non-invasive and a promising tool for predicting clinical outcomes of pancreatic carcinoma patients. However, the current research did not explore whether neoadjuvant therapy has an effect on the prognostic value of SII. Further studies using adequate designs and larger sample sizes are required to validate these findings.

The Predictive Role of a Novel Risk Index in Patients Undergoing Carotid Artery Stenting: Systemic Immune-Inflammation Index

BACKGROUND

Inflammatory mechanisms play an important role in both atherosclerosis and stroke. There are several inflammatory peripheral blood count markers associated with carotid artery stenosis degree, symptomatic carotid artery lesions and carotid artery stent restenosis that reported in previous studies. However, the prognostic role of the blood cell counts and their ratios in predicting in-hospital and long-term outcomes in patients undergoing carotid artery stenting (CAS) has not been comprehensively investigated. Systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) proved its' efficiency in patients with solid tumors and its' role was rarely examined in cardiovascular disorders and stroke. The current study evaluated the effect of this novel risk index on in-hospital and long-term outcomes in a large patient population who underwent CAS.

METHOD

A total of 732 patients with carotid artery stenosis who underwent CAS were enrolled to the study. SII was calculated using the following formula: neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio × total platelet count in the peripheral blood (per mm3) and the patients were stratified accordingly: T1, T2 and T3. In-hospital and 5-year outcomes were compared between the tertiles of SII.

RESULTS

During the hospitalization, major stroke, ipsilateral stoke, myocardial infarction, death and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) rates were significantly higher in high SII level (T3) compared to SII levels (T1 and 2). In long-term outcomes, ipsilateral stroke, major stroke, transient ischemic attack, death, and MACE were significantly higher in the patients with higher SII level (T3). The 5-year Kaplan-Meier overall survival for T1, T2, and T3 were 97.5%, 96.7% and 86.0% respectively. In-hospital and 5-year regression analyses demonstrated that high SII was independently associated with MACE and mortality.

CONCLUSION

SII was independently associated with in-hospital and long-term clinical outcomes in patients undergoing CAS. Immune and inflammation status, as assessed easily and quickly using SII, has a good discriminative value in these patients.

Systemic Immune Inflammation Index: A Novel Predictor of Contrast-Induced Nephropathy in Patients With Non-ST Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction

We investigated whether the systemic immune inflammation index (SII) on admission is an independent risk factor that predicts the development of contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) in patients with non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). A total of 429 patients with NSTEMI were enrolled in the study. Contrast-induced nephropathy was defined as an increase in serum creatinine level of ≥0.5 mg/dL or ≥25% above baseline within 72 hour after the procedure. Patients were divided into 2 groups: with and without CIN. Demographics, clinical risk factors, angiographic and laboratory parameters, CIN incidence, and SII score were compared between the 2 groups. Non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction patients, who developed CIN, had higher glucose levels (P = .009), neutrophil counts (P < .001), platelet counts (P < .001), neutrophil-lymphocyte ratios (P < .001), high sensitivity C-reactive protein levels (P = .009), and SII levels (P < .001) than those who did not develop CIN. The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that at a cutoff of 933.2, the value of SII exhibited 77.6% sensitivity and 69.2% specificity for detecting CIN. Our study showed that the SII levels on admission were independently associated with CIN development after PCI in patients with NSTEMI.

Systemic Immune-Inflammation Index and Changes of Neutrophil-Lymphocyte Ratio as Prognostic Biomarkers for Patients With Pancreatic Cancer Treated With Immune Checkpoint Blockade

The efficacy of current treatment regimens for pancreatic cancer (PC) remains unsatisfactory. In recent years, immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy has shown promising anti-tumor outcomes in many malignancies, including PC. Inexpensive and readily available biomarkers which predict therapeutic responses and prognosis are in critical need. Systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) are emerging predictors for prognosis of various tumors. We aim to investigate the prognostic significance of baseline SII, NLR, and their changes in PC patients treated with ICB. Our retrospective analysis included PC patients treated with ICB therapy in the Chinese PLA General Hospital. All demographic, biological, and clinical data were extracted from medical records. Relative changes of SII after two doses of ICB were defined as ΔSII% and calculated as (SII_{after 2 doses}-SII_baseline)/SII_baseline, and so was the case for ΔNLR%. Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were compared using Kaplan-Meier curves. The prognostic significance of baseline SII, NLR, and their changes was assessed in univariate and multivariate analyses using the Cox proportional hazard regression model. In total, 122 patients with PC treated with ICB were included in the present analysis. Elevated baseline SII (HR=3.28; 95% CI:1.98–5.27; P=0.03) and ΔNLR% (HR=2.21; 95% CI:1.03–4.74; P=0.04) were significantly correlated with an increased risk of death. For PC patients receiving ICB combined with chemotherapies or radiotherapies as the first-line treatment, increased baseline SII was a negative predictor for both OS (HR=8.06; 95% CI:1.71–37.86; P=0.01) and PFS (HR=2.84; 95%CI:1.37–10.38; P=0.04). Our study reveals the prognostic value of baseline SII and NLR changes in PC patients receiving ICB therapy. The clinical utility of these prognostic biomarkers needs to be further studied in prospective studies.

Prognostic significance of the preoperative systemic immune-inflammation index in patients with oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma treated with curative surgery and adjuvant therapy

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the prognostic value of the preoperative systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) in patients with oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OC-SCC) treated with curative surgery followed by adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) or chemoradiotherapy (CCRT).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed the clinical records of patients with OC-SCC who received surgery and postoperative adjuvant RT/CCRT between January 2005 and December 2012. Blood samples were drawn in the 2 weeks preceding surgery. SII was calculated by multiplying the absolute neutrophil and platelet counts, and then, divided by the absolute lymphocyte count, and its optimal cutoff value was identified using the Youden's index. The study endpoints included overall survival (OS), local control (LC), regional control (RC), and distant control (DC).

RESULTS

The study sample consisted of 993 patients (58.8% of them treated with CCRT). The optimal cutoff value for SII was 810.6. A total of 347 (34.9%) study participants had high preoperative SII values. After allowance for potential confounders in multivariable analysis, high SII values were independently associated with less favorable DC (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] = 1.683, p = 0.001) and OS (adjusted HR = 1.466, p < 0.001). No independent association between SII and LC/RC was observed.

CONCLUSION

Increased SII values predict poor DC and OS in patients with OC-SCC treated with curative resection and adjuvant RT/CCRT. Owing to the higher risk of systemic failure in this patient group, a thorough follow-up surveillance schedule may be advisable pending independent confirmation of our data.

The Impacts of Systemic Immune-Inflammation Index on Clinical Outcomes in Gallbladder Carcinoma

Background: Systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) is considered to be a prognostic marker in several cancers. However, the prognostic value of baseline pre-operative SII in gallbladder carcinoma (GBC) has not been evaluated. This study aimed to determine the prognostic significance of SII and generate a predictive nomogram.

Methods: We retrospectively studied 142 GBC patients who underwent surgical resection at the Peking Union Medical College Hospital between 2003 and 2017. SII, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) were evaluated for their prognostic values. A multivariate Cox proportional hazards model was used for the recognition of significant factors. Then, the cohort was randomly divided into the training and the validation set. A nomogram was constructed using SII and other selected indicators in the training set. C-index, calibration plots, and decision curve analysis were performed to assess the nomogram's clinical utility in both the training and the validation set.

Results: The predictive accuracy of SII (Harrell's concordance index [C-index]: 0.624), NLR (C-index: 0.626), and LMR (C-index: 0.622) was evaluated. The multivariate Cox model showed that SII was a superior independent predictor than NLR and LMR. SII level (≥600) (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.694, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.069–2.684, p = 0.024), carbohydrate antigen (CA) 19-9 level (≥37 U/ml) (HR: 2.407, 95% CI: 1.472–3.933, p < 0.001), and TNM stage (p = 0.026) were selected to construct a nomogram for predicting overall survival (OS). The predictive ability of this model was assessed by C-index (0.755 in the training set, 0.754 in the validation set). Good performance was demonstrated by the calibration plot. A high net benefit was proven by decision curve analysis (DCA).

Conclusion: SII is an independent prognostic indicator in GBC patients after surgical resection, and the nomogram based on it is a useful tool for predicting OS.

Prognostic value of systemic immune-inflammation index in patients with urologic cancers: a meta-analysis

Background

Several studies have reported that the systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) is associated with the prognosis of patients with urologic cancers (UCs). The aim of this study was to systematically evaluate the prognostic value of SII in UC patients.

Methods

We searched public databases for relevant published studies on the prognostic value of SII in UC patients. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were extracted and pooled to assess the relationships between SII and overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), cancer-specific survival (CSS), overall response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR).

Results

A total of 14 studies with 3074 patients were included. From the pooled results, we found that high SII was associated with worse overall survival (OS) in patients with UC (HR 2.58, 95% CI 1.59–4.21). Patients with high SII values also had poorer PFS (HR 1.92, 95% CI 1.29–2.88) and CSS (HR 2.58, 95% CI 1.36–4.91) as well as lower ORRs (HR 0.40, 95% CI 0.22–0.71) than patients with low SII values. In addition, the subgroup analysis of OS and PFS showed that the prognosis of patients with high SII was worse than that of patients with low SII.

Conclusions

SII might be a promising noninvasive predictor in patients with UC. However, more samples and multicenter studies are needed to confirm the effectiveness of SII in predicting the prognosis of patients with UC.

Prognostic prediction of systemic immune-inflammation index for patients with gynecological and breast cancers: a meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) has been suggested to be effective to reflect the inflammatory status and thus may be an underlying biomarker for prognosis prediction. This hypothesis has been demonstrated in meta-analyses on several cancer types. However, there was no study to confirm the prognostic roles of SII for gynecological and breast cancers, which was the goal of our study.

METHODS

PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases were searched to collect the articles exploring the associations of SII with prognostic outcomes [overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), progression-free survival (PFS), lymph node metastasis (LNM), and lymphovascular invasion (LVI)] in gynecological and breast cancers. The prognostic value of SII was estimated by hazard ratio (HR) or relative risk (RR) with 95% confidence interval (CI).

RESULTS

Nine articles involving 2724 patients in 11 datasets were included. Meta-analysis showed that a high SII index was significantly associated with poor OS (HR = 2.12, 95% CI, 1.61-2.79, P < 0.001), DFS/PFS (HR = 2.28, 95% CI 1.52-3.41, P < 0.001) and an increased risk for LNM (RR = 1.34, 95% CI 1.20-1.50, P < 0.001) in patients with gynecological and breast cancers. Subgroup analysis confirmed the prognostic role of SII for OS was applicable to all cancer types, but the association with DFS/PFS and LNM was only significant for ovarian cancer and breast cancer, especially triple-negative breast cancer. No significant association was detected between SII and LVI.

CONCLUSION

High SII may be a promising indicator for the prediction of poor prognosis in patients with gynecological and breast cancers, especially ovarian cancer and triple-negative breast cancer.

Prognostic Value of Pretreatment Systemic Immune-Inflammation Index in Glioblastoma Multiforme Patients Undergoing Postneurosurgical Radiotherapy Plus Concurrent and Adjuvant Temozolomide

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the potential prognostic utility of pretreatment systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) in newly diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) patients who underwent postneurosurgical radiotherapy and concurrent plus adjuvant temozolomide.

METHODS

The retrospective data of GBM patients who underwent postneurosurgical radiotherapy and concurrent plus adjuvant temozolomide were analyzed. For each patient, SII was calculated using the platelet, neutrophil, and lymphocyte measures obtained on the first day of treatment: SII = platelets × neutrophils/lymphocytes. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was utilized for the evaluation of optimal cut-off values for SII those linked with the outcomes. Primary and secondary endpoints constituted the overall (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) per conveyance SII group.

RESULTS

A total of 167 patients were included. The ROC curve analysis identified the optimum SII cut-off at a rounded 565 value that significantly interacted with the PFS and OS and stratified patients into two groups: low-SII (SII < 565; n = 71) and high-SII (SII ≥ 565; n = 96), respectively. Comparative survival analyses exhibited that the high-SII cohort had significantly shorter median PFS (6.0 versus 16.6 months; P < 0.001) and OS (11.1 versus 22.9 months; P < 0.001) than the low-SII cohort. The relationship between the high-SII and poorer PFS (P < 0.001) and OS (P < 0.001) further retained its independent significance in multivariate analysis, as well.

CONCLUSIONS

The outcomes displayed here qualified the pretreatment SII as a novel independent prognostic index for predicting survival outcomes of newly diagnosed GBM patients undergoing postneurosurgical radiotherapy and concurrent plus adjuvant temozolomide.

Preoperative Systemic Immune-Inflammation Index (SII) for Predicting the Survival of Patients with Stage I-III Gastric Cancer with a Signet-Ring Cell (SRC) Component

Background

Recently, a novel systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) based on peripheral lymphocytes, neutrophils, and platelets has been reported to be correlated with patient prognosis in several malignancies, including gastric cancer. However, the prognostic value of the SII for gastric cancer patients with a signet-ring cell (SRC) component has not yet been reported. In this study, we aimed to assess the prognostic value of the SII in gastric cancer patients with an SRC component after curative resection.

Methods

This study was a retrospective analysis of 512 GC patients with an SRC component who underwent curative resection. The prognostic value of the SII was analyzed by the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazards regression model.

Results

In our study cohort, an optimal cut-off value for the SII of 527 was used to stratify patients with gastric cancer (GC) into low (<527) and high SII (≥527) groups. Our study indicated that a high SII (≥527) was significantly correlated with a large tumor size (p < 0.001), infiltration of serosa (p < 0.001), lymph node metastasis (p < 0.001), and advanced TNM stage (p < 0.001). Univariate and multivariate analyses further demonstrated that a low SII was correlated with better clinical outcome and was an independent prognostic predictor in GC patients with an SRC component. Furthermore, the SII retained prognostic value in the subgroup analysis, including subgroup of different TNM stages and pure or mixed signet-ring cell carcinomas (SRCCs).

Conclusion

The SII is a simple, promising, and practical prognostic biomarker for patients with surgically resected mixed SRCC and pure SRCC. The SII could complement current prognostic tools for better treatment planning and stratification of patients.

Systemic immune-inflammation index predicts mortality in infective endocarditis

Objectives

The aim of our study was to evaluate the usefulness of systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) at admission in predicting in-hospital mortality in patients with infective endocarditis.

Methods

133 definite IE patients (≥18 years) according to modified Duke criteria, treated in our tertiary care hospital between December 2009 and May 2019, were retrospectively analysed. Symptoms, comorbidities, predisposing valvular diseases, prosthetic valve, device, history of injectable drug use, blood culture results, echocardiography findings, and complications were collected. We calculated the SII as follows: SII = platelet count × neutrophil count/lymphocyte count at admission.

Results

The median age of the patients was 56 (40–66) years. Prosthetic valve disease was the most frequent predisposing valve lesion. Staphylococcus species were the most common microorganisms. The most frequent complication was in-hospital mortality (22%) followed by renal failure. Older population, syncope, increased inflammatory markers, high systolic pulmonary artery pressure (PAPs), heart failure, renal failure, and septic shock were associated with high mortality. However age, syncope, hypocalcemia, not going to surgery, and SII were independent predictors of in-hospital mortality. According to receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, the optimal SII cut-off value for predicting mortality was 2314 (area under the curve 0.641; P = 0.019).

Conclusion

We demonstrated that high SII levels are independently associated with in-hospital mortality. The SII may be a promising prognostic predictor for patients with infective endocarditis.

Prognostic Value of the Systemic Immune-Inflammation Index (SII) After Neoadjuvant Therapy for Patients with Resected Pancreatic Cancer

BACKGROUND

The systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), calculated using absolute platelet, neutrophil, and lymphocyte counts, has recently emerged as a predictor of survival for patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) when assessed at diagnosis. Neoadjuvant therapy (NAT) is increasingly used in the treatment of PDAC. However, biomarkers of response are lacking. This study aimed to determine the prognostic significance of SII before and after NAT and its association with the pancreatic tumor biomarker carbohydrate-antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9).

METHODS

This study retrospectively analyzed all PDAC patients treated with NAT before pancreatic resection at a single institution between 2007 and 2017. Pre- and post-NAT lab values were collected to calculate SII. Absolute pre-NAT, post-NAT, and change in SII after NAT were evaluated for their association with clinical outcomes.

RESULTS

The study analyzed 419 patients and found no significant correlation between pre-NAT SII and clinical outcomes. Elevated post-NAT SII was an independent, negative predictor of overall survival (OS) when assessed as a continuous variable (hazard ratio [HR], 1.0001; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.00003-1.00014; p = 0.006). Patients with a post-NAT SII greater than 900 had a shorter median OS (31.9 vs 26.1 months; p = 0.050), and a post-NAT SII greater than 900 also was an independent negative predictor of OS (HR, 1.369; 95% CI 1.019-1.838; p = 0.037). An 80% reduction in SII independently predicted a CA 19-9 response after NAT (HR, 4.22; 95% CI 1.209-14.750; p = 0.024).

CONCLUSION

Post-treatment SII may be a useful prognostic marker in PDAC patients receiving NAT.

Comparison of the prognostic value of inflammation-based scores in early recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma after hepatectomy

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Inflammation-based prognostic scores, such as the Glasgow Prognostic Score (GPS), modified Glasgow Prognostic Score (mGPS), Prognostic Index (PI), Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI), neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR), lymphocyte to monocyte ratio (LMR) and systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), are correlated with the survival of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients, while remain unclear for recurrent HCC. This study aimed to compare the prognostic value of inflammation-based prognostic scores for post-recurrence survival (PRS) in patients with early recurrent HCC (ErHCC, within 2 years after hepatectomy).

METHODS

A total of 580 patients with ErHCC were enrolled retrospectively. The association between the independent baseline and the time-dependent variables and PRS was evaluated by cox regression. The prediction accuracy of the inflammation-based prognostic scores was assessed by time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and Harrell's concordance index (C-index) analyses.

RESULTS

The GPS, mGPS, PI, PNI, NLR, PLR, LMR and SII were all related to the PRS of ErHCC patients, while only the SII (P < .001) remained an independent predictor for PRS in multivariate analysis (hazard ratio: 1.92, 95% confidence interval: 1.33-2.79). Both the C-index of the SII (0.65) and the areas under the ROC curves showed that the SII score was superior to the other inflammation-based prognostic scores for predicting the PRS of ErHCC patients.

CONCLUSIONS

The SII is a useful prognostic indicator for PRS in patients with ErHCC after hepatectomy and is superior to the other inflammation-based prognostic scores in terms of prognostic ability.

Higher Levels of Pre-operative Peripheral Lymphocyte Count Is a Favorable Prognostic Factor for Patients With Stage I and II Rectal Cancer

The clinical significance of peripheral blood parameters has been considered to be a potential prognostic indicator for malignancies. In this study, 224 colorectal cancer (CRC; n_colon = 103; n_rectal = 121) patients who underwent resection were enrolled, and the pre- and post-operative clinical laboratory data within 1 week, before and after surgery, were collected. The prognostic value of the counts of white blood cell (WBC), neutrophil, lymphocyte and platelet, the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) were analyzed. Data revealed that pre-operative lymphocyte count (pre-LC) was much higher than that of post-LC (p < 0.001), and only rectal cancer patients with pre-LC^high (>median: 1.61 × 10⁹/L) had a significantly better overall survival (OS) and 5-year survival rate (SR) than those with pre-LC^low (OS: 62.3 vs. 49.5 months; SR: 74.0 vs. 43.0%; p = 0.006). Cox's proportional hazard models revealed that pre-LC^high was an independent, favorable prognostic factor for rectal cancer patients (hazard ratio = 0.348; p = 0.003). Moreover, when the disease stages were stratified, the pre-LC^high was significantly associated with better prognosis of rectal cancer patients with stage I + II rectal cancer (n = 65; OS: 67.5 vs. 54.3 months; p = 0.011). Taken together, our study revealed that pre-operative lymphocyte count is an independent prognostic factor for patients with stage I and II rectal cancer.

Prognostic value of the pretreatment systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) in patients with non-small cell lung cancer: a meta-analysis

Background

The objective of this study is to explore the association between the pretreatment systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) and prognosis in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients.

Methods

A systemic literature search of PubMed, EMBASE, the Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang, VIP and SinoMed databases was performed from January 1, 1966 to April 15, 2019, to identify potential studies that assessed the prognostic role of the pretreatment SII in NSCLC. The hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were combined to evaluate the correlation of the pretreatment SII with overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), progression-free survival (PFS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) in NSCLC patients.

Results

A total of 9 studies involving 2,441 patients were eventually included. An elevated pretreatment SII indicated significantly poorer OS (HR =1.88, 95% CI: 1.50-2.36; P<0.001) with high heterogeneity (I²=60.6%, P=0.019), DFS/PFS (HR =2.50, 95% CI: 1.20-5.20; P=0.014) with high heterogeneity (I²=58.2%, P=0.092) and CSS (HR =1.852, 95% CI: 1.185-2.915; P=0.007). Subgroup analyses further verified the above results. In addition, compared with the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and the platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR), the SII showed a much higher prognostic value in NSCLC.

Conclusions

The pretreatment SII may serve as a useful prognostic indicator in NSCLC and contribute to prognosis evaluation and treatment strategy formulation. However, more well-designed studies are warranted to verify our findings.

Prognostic significance of the ratio of fibrinogen and albumin in human malignancies: a meta-analysis

Background and aim: Serum fibrinogen and albumin are two important factors in systemic inflammation and these two factors are related to tumor progression. This study aimed to comprehensively reveal the prognostic value of the ratio of fibrinogen and albumin in malignant tumors.

Methods: We systematically searched relevant studies in PubMed, Web of Science and Embase up to November 21, 2018. Hazard ratios (HRs) or odds ratio (ORs) for overall survival (OS)/disease-free survival (DFS), as well as relevant clinical data, were collected for analysis; all data analyses were performed by using STATA/SE 14.

Results: Twelve cohort studies were included in this meta-analysis, with a total of 5,088 cases including 9 different kinds of tumors recruited. The pooled results showed that high albumin/fibrinogen ratio (FAR) and low fibrinogen/albumin ratio (AFR) were significantly associated with poor OS (HR=1.50, 95% CI: 1.30–1.70). Subgroup analyses for OS were also performed based on the disease type, detection method, follow-up time and treatment. Similarly, high FAR or low AFR indicated a worse DFS in cancer patients (HR=1.86; 95% CI: 1.41–2.31). In addition, high FAR or low AFR was statistically significant in relation to deeper tumor infiltration (OR=2.81, 95%CI: 1.67–4.72), positive lymph node metastasis (OR=1.57, 95%CI: 1.23–2.02) and distant metastasis (OR=2.30, 95% CI: 1.36–3.89) as well as advanced clinical stage (OR=2.02, 95% CI: 1.17–3.47).

Conclusions: The ratio of fibrinogen and albumin could act as a promising prognostic marker in human malignant tumors. It might assist physicians to select optimal treatments by identifying the current status of the patient. Future multicenter clinical trials are needed to validate its applications.