Systemic immune inflammation index and system inflammation response index on the third postoperative day predict poor prognosis of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage patients

The inflammatory response is involved in the progression of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). We sought to investigate the relationships of inflammatory indicators including blood cell counts and the ratios of different blood cells counts with the prognosis of aSAH patients. We performed a retrospective study including 140 patients with aSAH and aneurysm surgeries. The relationships of neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, platelets, systemic immune inflammation index (SII), system inflammation response index (SIRI), neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio and platelet-lymphocyte ratio with prognosis were investigated by univariable analysis and multivariable logistic regression model. The patient with Modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score＜3 was defined as having a good prognosis, while with mRS score ≥3 was defined as having a poor prognosis. Among 140 patients included, there were 108 cases with good prognosis and 32 cases with poor prognosis after follow-up. On the 3rd postoperative day, the neutrophils counts, SIRI level and SII level in cases with poor prognosis were significantly higher than cases with good prognosis, P < .05. After adjusting for baseline differences in Hunt-Hess grade, Glasgow Coma Scale score, combination with intraventricular hemorrhage and maximum diameter of aneurysm, the levels of SIRI (odds ratio = 3.968, 95% CI: 1.432-10.992, P = .008) and SII (odds ratio = 3.313, 95% CI: 1.029-10.665, P = .045) on the 3rd postoperative day could predict poor prognosis. SII and SIRI on the 3rd postoperative day could independently predict the poor prognosis in aSAH. However, the cutoff values for predicting prognosis needs to be validated in larger-sample studies.

Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR), Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (PLR) and Monocyte-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (MLR) as Biomarkers in Diagnosis Evaluation of Acute Exacerbation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Retrospective, Observational Study

Purpose

Hierarchical management is advocated in China to effectively manage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients and reduce the incidence and mortality of acute exacerbation of COPD (AE-COPD). However, primary and community hospitals often have limited access to advanced equipment and technology. Complete blood count (CBC), which is commonly used in these hospitals, offers the advantages of being cost-effective and easily accessible. This study aims to evaluate the significance of routine blood indicators in aiding of diagnosing AE-COPD.

Patients and Methods

In this research, we enrolled a total of 112 patients diagnosed with AE-COPD, 92 patients with stable COPD, and a control group comprising 60 healthy individuals. Clinical characteristics, CBC parameters, and serum CRP levels were collected within two hours. To assess the associations between NLR/PLR/MLR and CRP by Spearman correlation test. The diagnostic accuracy of NLR, PLR and MLR in AE-COPD was assessed using Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve (ROC) and the area under the curve (AUC). Binary Logistic Regression analysis was conducted for the indicators of NLR, PLR and MLR.

Results

We found that patients with AE-COPD had significantly higher levels of NLR, PLR and MLR in contrast to patients with stable COPD. Additionally, the study revealed a noteworthy correlation between CRP and NLR (rs=0.5319, P<0.001), PLR (rs=0.4424, P<0.001), and MLR (rs=0.4628, P<0.001). By utilizing specific cut-off values, the amalgamation of NLR, PLR and MLR augmented diagnostic sensitivity. Binary logistic regression analysis demonstrated that heightened NLR and MLR act as risk factors for the progression of AE-COPD.

Conclusion

The increasing levels of NLR, PLR and MLR could function as biomarkers, akin to CRP, for diagnosis and assessment of acute exacerbations among COPD patients. Further research is required to validate this concept.

Evaluation of the Prognostic Role of Neutrophil-Lymphocyte Ratio, C-Reactive Protein-Albumin Ratio, and Platelet-Lymphocyte Ratio in Patients with the Co-Presentation of Coronary Artery Disease and COVID-19

Aim

The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), C-reactive protein-albumin ratio (CAR), and platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) in the prognosis of patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) complicated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Methods

This study included 265 patients. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to preliminarily evaluate the predictive ability of NLR, CAR, and PLR for all-cause death. The primary outcome was all-cause death during hospitalization, while the secondary outcomes were cardiovascular death and respiratory failure death. The Cox proportional hazard model with adjusted covariates was used to analyze the cumulative risk of outcomes. We also conducted subgroup analyses based on the acute and chronic characteristics of CAD. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to further evaluate the robustness of the primary outcome.

Results

The ROC curve analysis results showed that the area under curve (AUC) values were 0.686 (95% CI 0.592-0.781, P<0.001) for NLR, 0.749 (95% CI 0.667-0.832, P<0.001) for CAR, and 0.571 (95% CI 0.455-0.687, P=0.232) for PLR. The Cox proportional hazard model showed that trends in NLR and PLR did not affect the risk of all-cause death (P=0.096 and P=0.544 for trend, respectively), but a higher CAR level corresponded to a higher risk of all-cause death (P<0.001 for trend). Similarly, The trends of NLR and PLR did not affect the risk of cardiovascular death and respiratory failure death, while a higher CAR level corresponded to a higher risk of cardiovascular death and respiratory failure death. The results of subgroup analyses and PSM were consistent with the total cohort.

Conclusion

In patients with CAD complicated with COVID-19, a higher CAR level corresponded to a higher risk of all-cause death, cardiovascular death, and respiratory failure death, while trends in NLR and PLR did not.

Platelet-lymphocyte ratio predicts chemotherapy response and prognosis in patients with gastric cancer undergoing radical resection

Background

Amounting literatures have reported the significance of systemic inflammatory markers for evaluating tumor prognosis. But few studies have systematically compared their superiority and their impact on adjuvant chemotherapy.

Aims

We aimed to investigate the ability of inflammatory markers to predict the efficacy of chemotherapy in GC patients undergoing radical therapy and to identify an effective methodology based on the study's findings that would enable clinicians to differentiate between chemotherapy-responsive populations.

Methods

We retrospectively enrolled 730 GC patients who underwent radical gastrectomy. Fibrinogen (FIB), platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), systemic inflammation response index (SIRI), prognostic nutritional index (PNI), systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and lymph node ratio (LNR) were grouped according to cutoff values. Their clinical significance for GC prognosis was determined by multivariate COX regression analysis in the 730 GC patients and high/low PLR status subgroups. Cases were divided into four groups according to PLR status and adjuvant chemotherapy status and survival was compared among groups.

Results

Multivariate analysis showed that PLR was an independent prognostic factor for overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) of GC patients. Adjuvant chemotherapy improved survival more significantly in patients with low PLR than that with high PLR. Among patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy, low PLR was significantly associated with prolonged survival in TNM stage II, but not in TNM stage III.

Conclusion

Preoperative high PLR is an independent risk factor for GC patients undergoing radical gastrectomy and adversely affects the postoperative chemotherapy effect.

Importance of hemogram parameters for predicting uterine scar dehiscence

Objective

The pathophysiology of uterine scar dehiscence is not yet clear. The aim of this study was to investigate whether preoperative hemogram parameters can be used as predictive markers of uterine scar dehiscence, thus improving prediction and contributing to management of repeat Cesarean section.

Material and Methods

Between 2015 and 2020, 36670 (47.6%) cesarean sections were delivered in our hospital and 16943 of them had a previous Cesarean section. All cases of uterine scar rupture detected during Cesarean section were identified, and a total of 40 patients were included after excluding cases with impairment of the systemic inflammatory response (SIR). Controls consisted of 40 randomly selected, age-and body mass index (BMI)-matched patients, and the groups were compared.

Results

Age, BMI, and gravidity were similar (p>0.05). Although the gestational week and Apgar scores were similar between the groups (p>0.05), the birth weight amongst controls was significantly higher than the uterine dehiscence group (p=0.028). Platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, and other hemogram values were similar in both groups (p>0.05). Mean platelet volume (MPV) in the control group was significantly higher than in the uterine rupture group (p=0.049). Regression analysis found no significant result between hemogram parameters, birth weight, and dehiscence.

Conclusion

In this study, which set out to identify predictors of the risk of uterine scar dehiscence with SIR parameters, only the MPV value was lower in the dehiscence group.

Neutrophil- and Platelet-Lymphocyte Ratio as Biomarkers of Severity in Complicated Diverticular Disease

INTRODUCTION

Diverticulitis is a prevalent gastrointestinal disease that may require surgical intervention. The aim of the study was to investigate the involvement of neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) as biomarkers of severity in complicated diverticular disease (CDD) in Mexican patients and their correlation with the need for surgical intervention, the length of hospital stay, and mortality.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

An observational, longitudinal, and retrospective study performed from 2017 to 2021 was considered in patients over 18 years of age, with a diagnosis of CDD by using computed tomography and with a hemogram taken in the first 24 hours upon admission to the emergency department to describe the sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values (PPV and NPV, respectively) of NLR and PLR in the CDD.  Results: A total of 102 Mexican patients suffering from CDD, 54% women and 46% men with a mean of 59 years, were analyzed. According to Hinchey's classification, 79 (77.5%) patients showed type I, 12 (12.8%) type II, 5 (4.9%) type III, and 6 (5.9%) type IV. The mean hospital stay was 8.8 days, with a mortality rate of 3.9%. The cut-off value was established at 5.1 for NLR according to the results of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.633, a sensitivity of 90%, a specificity of 43%, PPV of 21.8%, and NPV of 96% for the prediction of CDD. A cut-off value for PLR at 72 was established according to the results of the ROC curve with an AUC of 0.482, a sensitivity of 78%, a specificity of 40%, PPV of 96%, and NPV of 9% for the prediction of CDD.

CONCLUSION

The NLR and PLR are easily calculable and accessible biomarkers that can be part of the decision-making for the diagnosis and treatment of CDD in Mexican people as has been observed in other populations. However, more prospective, multicenter comparative studies are needed to assess the efficacy and safety of these biomarkers in relation to those already described.

The effect of IL17 and IL23 inhibitors on hematological parameters and C-reactive protein in psoriasis patients

INTRODUCTION

In the quest for objective biomarkers for psoriasis, the neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR), C-reactive protein (CRP), and mean platelet volume (MPV) have been used to assess disease severity, treatment efficacy, and follow-up in psoriasis, and their relationship with the Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) has been investigated.

PURPOSE

The evaluation of pre-treatment, 3rd and 6th-month levels of NLR, PLR, MPV, and CRP along with PASI scores in psoriasis patients treated with secukinumab, ixekizumab, risankizumab, and guselkumab.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In our study, 83 patients aged 18 and over, who were followed up with moderate-severe plaque type psoriasis vulgaris and psoriatic arthritis and received secukinumab, ixekizumab, risankizumab, and guselkumab treatment in the chronic skin diseases clinic of Fırat University Faculty of Medicine Hospital between January 2019 and 2023, were evaluated retrospectively.

RESULTS

Post-treatment leukocyte, neutrophil, lymphocyte, platelet, CRP, and PASI values were statistically significantly lower in all biological agent groups and all patients. The post-treatment NLR value was statistically significantly higher in all patients and in the group using ixekizumab. The post-treatment PLR value was statistically significantly higher in the group using guselkumab and ixekizumab and in all patients. The post-treatment MPV was statistically significantly higher in all patients and in the group using secukinumab. No correlation was found between post-treatment PASI and other values (p > 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference between the post-treatment 6-month values among all biological agent groups. The effects of different drugs on outcomes after treatment were found to be similar (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Our study supports the view that MPV and CRP can be used in patients with psoriasis using IL17 and IL23 inhibitors, while NLR and PLR parameters derived from blood count may not be used to evaluate treatment response, contrary to other studies.

Systemic inflammation and its relationship with pruritus in early-stage mycosis fungoides

The underlying mechanisms mycosis fungoides (MF)-related pruritus remain unclear, and the link between pruritus and systemic inflammation in MF is unexplored. We aimed to investigate systemic inflammation in MF patients and its potential connection to pruritus. In this retrospective study, demographic characteristics, MF stage, clinical and laboratory findings, and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), monocyte-lymphocyte ratio (MLR), systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), systemic inflammation response index (SIRI) and pan-immune inflammation value (PIV) were assessed for all participants. Additionally, mSWAT scores, Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), and pruritus presence and intensity via Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) scoring were recorded for MF patients. A total of 81 patients with early-stage MF and 50 controls were enrolled. Itching was present in 41 patients (50.6%). NLR, PLR, SII, SIRI and CRP values in the MF group were significantly higher. CRP, NLR, mSWAT and DLQI score were significantly higher in MF patients with pruritus than those without. Pruritus was positively correlated with DLQI, mSWAT, CRP, NLR, MLR and SIRI. VAS score was positively correlated with eosinophil count and DLQI. In the multivariate logistic regression model, only NLR was an independent and significant associate of pruritus in patients with MF. This study provides evidence of enhanced systemic inflammation in early-stage MF patients. Additionally, the correlation between pruritus with mSWAT scores and systemic inflammation parameters suggests a potential link between pruritus and the inflammatory milieu in MF.

Prognostic evaluation of preoperative systemic immune inflammatory index in patients with colorectal cancer

Objective

To investigate the impact of preoperative systemic immune inflammatory index (SII) on the clinical prognosis of patients undergoing colorectal cancer (CRC) surgery.

Methods

One hundred and sixty CRC patients who underwent surgical treatment in our gastrointestinal surgery department from January 2019 to May 2023 were collected. ROC curves were applied to determine the sensitivity and specificity of SII, determine the optimal cut-off value into low SII and high SII groups, compare the clinicopathological data of SII patients in the two groups, and analyze the postoperative survival of patients in the two groups using Kaplan-Meier and Log-rank methods. Univariate and multifactor COX proportional risk regression models were used to analyze clinical prognostic factors.

Results

The ROC curve showed that the area under the curve of SII for the evaluation of OS in CRC patients was 0.859, and the best cut-off value was 513.53. There was statistical significance (P < 0.05) in terms of tissue grading and diabetes mellitus in both groups. The Kaplan-Meier survival curves showed that the overall survival rates of the SII<513.53 group and the SII≥513.53 group were 50.88% (29/57) and 32.04% (33/103), and the overall survival rate of the SII<513.53 group was significantly higher than that of the SII≥513.53 group, and the difference was statistically significance (χ2 = 8.375, P=0.004). COX proportional risk regression showed that TNM stage, lymph node metastases, anastomotic fistula and SII were independent risk factors affecting postoperative survival in patients with CRC.

Conclusion

Preoperative SII is an independent prognostic factor for CRC, which is simple, convenient, and non-invasive, and can be used to predict the prognosis of CRC patients.

Systemic immune-inflammation index in patients with generalized stage III grade C periodontitis

OBJECTIVES

Systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) is a novel, inflammatory biomarker whose role in predicting several chronic systemic diseases has been recently identified. However, its association with generalized stage III grade C periodontitis in young adults remains unknown.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The study is a multicentered, double-blind, hospital-based case-control clinical study. Periodontal examination comprised of recording plaque index, sites with bleeding on probing, pocket depth and clinical attachment loss for patients with generalized stage III grade C periodontitis and periodontally healthy group. Complete blood counts were obtained and used for calculating SII, neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-lymphocyte ratio. Collected data were then subjected to statistical analyses.

RESULTS

SII was significantly higher in patients with generalized stage III grade C periodontitis compared to periodontally healthy individuals (723.87 vs. 537.74 × 109 /L, p < 0.0001). SII is associated with severe periodontitis in young adults (odds ratio [OR]:11.86, 95% CI 9.61-20.76, p < 0.0001) after adjusting for factors found significant in univariate analysis. Receiver operative curve analysis demonstrated a fair predictive validity of SII in detecting generalized stage III grade C periodontitis in young adults (AUC: 0.766, 95%CI 0.731-0.799, p < 0.0001, sensitivity 81.27%, specificity 76.50% and diagnostic accuracy 78.89%). SII did not exhibit superior predictive validity when compared with NLR in the context of generalized stage III grade C periodontitis (AUC for SII: 0.766, 95%CI 0.731-0.799, AUC for NLR: 0.788, 95% CI 0.754-0.819; p = 0.28).

CONCLUSION

SII is associated with generalized stage III grade C periodontitis in young adults.

Systemic inflammation response index (SIRI) on the 3rd postoperative day are associated with severe pneumonia in cerebral hemorrhage patients: A single-center retrospective study

Inflammatory response was involved in the progression of cerebral hemorrhage. We sought to explore the associations of easily obtained inflammatory indicators including blood cell counts and the ratios of different blood cells counts with pneumonia and severe pneumonia in cerebral hemorrhage patients. We carried 1 retrospective study including 200 patients with cerebral hemorrhage and surgeries. The associations of neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, platelets, systemic immune inflammation index (SII), systemic inflammation response index (SIRI), neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) with pneumonia and severe pneumonia in cerebral hemorrhage patients were estimated by univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression model. Among the 200 patients included, there were a total of 163 (81.5%) had pneumonia after surgeries. Among 163 cerebral hemorrhage patients with pneumonia, 60 (36.8%) cases were evaluated as severe pneumonia. The level of SIRI on the 1st postoperative day in patients with severe pneumonia was higher than non-severe pneumonia (10.89 ± 12.10 × 109/L vs 7.14 ± 9.76 × 109/L, P = .003). The level of SIRI on the 3rd postoperative day in patients with severe pneumonia was more significantly higher (7.98 ± 7.46 × 109/L vs 4.10 ± 3.74 × 109/L, P < .001). The results of multivariate analysis showed that SIRI level on the 3rd postoperative day (>6.5 × 109/L) was associated with severe pneumonia in cerebral hemorrhage patients (OR: 4.409, 95% CI: 1.799-10.806, P = .001). SIRI was possibly a superior predictor for severe pneumonia in cerebral hemorrhage patients compared with other inflammatory indicators. On the one hand, we intend to validate the cutoff value of SIRI for predicting severe pneumonia in larger samples and multicenter studies. On the other hand, we also intend to use this index to guide the choice of antibacterial drugs in order to better benefit patients.

Neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio and platelet-lymphocyte ratio as potential predictive markers of treatment response in cancer patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

The role of platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) as independent prognostic markers in different tumors is well established. However, there is a limited review of the potential of NLR and PLR as predictors of treatment outcomes from immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs).

Objective

To establish a correlation between NLR and PLR and the potential of clinical benefit from ICIs.

Methods

The literature search was performed for studies that reported the association between NLR, PLR, and treatment outcomes among cancer patients treated with ICIs. The outcomes of interest were objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), and progressive disease (PD). ORR was the summation of patients who achieved complete response and partial response. DCR included patients who achieved stable disease. PD was the proportion of patients who progressed, relapsed, or discontinued the treatment. Statistical analysis was performed using the STATA 12.0 package. Heterogeneity was determined by the I2 value. Quality assessment was performed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Egger's test was used to establish publication bias and sensitivity analysis.

Results

A total of 40 papers that met the inclusion criteria were included in the systematic review. However, only 17 studies were used in the meta-analysis to determine the correlation between NLR, PLR, and treatment response. We found that treatment with ICIs and monitoring of outcomes and adverse events using PLR and NLR parameters have been studied in different tumors. Our analysis showed that low NLR correlated with higher ORR (OR = 0.62 (95% CI 0.47-0.81, p = 0.001) and higher DCR (OR = 0.23, 95% CI 0.14-0.36, p < 0.001). Higher NLR predicted a higher probability of PD (OR = 3.12, 95% CI 1.44, 6.77, p = 0.004). Similarly, low PLR correlated with higher ORR (OR = 0.69, 95% CI 0.5, 0.95, p = 0.025). Generally, patients with low NLR and PLR were more likely to achieve clinical benefit and better response (p-value < 0.001). Meanwhile, patients with high ratios were more likely to progress (p-value < 0.005), although there was significant heterogeneity among studies. There was no significant publication bias observed.

Conclusion

The study showed that high NLR and PLR either at baseline or during treatment is associated with poorer treatment outcome. Therefore, these ratios can be utilized in clinical practice with other markers to determine treatment efficacy from immunotherapy.

[Neutrophil-lymphocyte and platelet-lymphocyte ratios for assessing disease activity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis receiving tofacitinib treatment]

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the value of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) for assessing disease activity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treated with tofacitinib.

METHODS

This retrospective study was conducted among 98 RA patients in active stage treated with tofacitinib in Third Xiangya Hospital and 100 healthy control subjects from the Health Management Center of the hospital from 2019 to 2021. We collected blood samples from all the participants for measurement of erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and other blood parameters 1 month before and 6 months after tofacitinib treatment. We further evaluated PLR and NLR before and after tofacitinib treatment in the RA patients, and analyzed their correlations with RA disease activity.

RESULTS

PLR and NLR increased significantly in RA patients as compared with the healthy controls. In the RA patients, PLR and NLR were positively correlated with the levels of hs- CRP, ESR, IL- 6, Disease Activity Score of 28 joints-ESR (DAS28-ESR), anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP), and rheumatoid factor (RF) before and after tofacitinib treatment. Tofacitinib treatment for 6 months significantly decreased hs-CRP, ESR, IL-6, CCP, RF and DAS28-ESR levels in the RA patients.

CONCLUSION

NLR and PLR can be useful biomarkers for assessing disease activity in RA patients treated with tofacitinib.

Association between platelet-lymphocyte ratio and 90-day mortality in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage: data from the MIMIC-III database

Background

Recent evidence suggested that platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) may play a role in the pathophysiology of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), but the results are controversial. This study aimed to explore the relationship between PLR and mortality in patients with ICH.

Methods

All data were extracted from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care (MIMIC) III database. The study outcome was 90-day mortality. Multivariable Cox regression analyses were used to calculate the adjusted hazard ratio (HR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI), and curve-fitting (restricted cubic spline) was used to assess the non-linear relationship.

Results

Of 1,442 patients, 1,043 patients with ICH were included. The overall 90-day mortality was 29.8% (311/1,043). When PLR was assessed in quartiles, the risk of 90-day mortality for ICH was lowest for quartile 2 (120.9 to <189.8: adjusted HR, 0.67; 95% CI: 0.48-0.93; P = 0.016), compared with those in quartile 1 (<120.9). Consistently in the threshold analysis, for every 1 unit increase in PLR, there was a 0.6% decrease in the risk of 90-day mortality for ICH (adjusted HR, 0.994; 95% CI: 0.988-0.999) in those with PLR <145.54, and a 0.2% increase in 90-day mortality (adjusted HR, 1.002; 95% CI: 1.000-1.003) in participants with PLR ≥145.54.

Conclusion

There was a non-linear relationship between PLR and 90-day mortality for patients with ICH, with an inflection point at 145.54 and a minimal risk at 120.9 to <189.8 of PLR.

The Predictive Value of Different Laboratory Indicators Based on the 2018 Tokyo Guidelines for the Severity of Acute Cholangitis

BACKGROUND

This study evaluated the predictive value of different laboratory indicators for the severity of acute cholangitis (AC) according to the 2018 Tokyo Guidelines.

OBJECTIVES

We enrolled consecutive patients with a diagnosis of AC from June 2016 to May 2021. Serum procalcitonin (PCT) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, white blood cell counts, the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio, and the platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) were compared according to the severity of AC.

RESULTS

In total, 293 patients were enrolled in this study (mild, n = 172; moderate, n = 68; severe, n = 53). In receiver operating characteristic analyses, CRP was the best biomarker for differentiating mild and moderate AC (area under the curve [AUC] 0.66, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.58-0.74). PCT was the best biomarker for differentiating mild and severe AC (AUC 0.80, 95% CI 0.74-0.86). Blood culture was performed in 117 patients (39.93%), 53 of whom (45.30%) had positive results. Regarding blood culture positivity, PLR was most predictive (AUC 0.85, 95% CI 0.78-0.92).

CONCLUSIONS

PCT can be used as a reliable predictor of severe AC. CRP was most predictive of moderate AC, whereas PLR was most predictive of blood culture positivity.

Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio, Neutrophil-to-Monocyte Ratio, Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratio, and Systemic Immune-Inflammation Index in Psoriasis Patients: Response to Treatment with Biological Drugs

BACKGROUND

Psoriasis is a chronic immune-mediated skin disease in which systemic inflammation plays an important role in its pathogenesis. In recent years, the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), neutrophil-to-monocyte ratio (NMR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) were shown to be important indicators of inflammation. This study aimed to investigate the NLR, NMR, PLR, and SII levels in psoriasis patients treated with biological agents.

METHOD

Clinical and biochemical data of 209 patients who received systemic therapy for psoriasis were obtained by retrospectively reviewing their medical records. The NLR, NMR, PLR, and SII values were calculated from the hemogram values of the patients.

RESULTS

In the third month of follow-up, the mean CRP, NLR, NMR, PLR, and SII values were significantly decreased compared with the baseline values. The SII values showed strong positive correlations with the NLR, NMR, and PLR. Adalimumab, etanercept, and infliximab, which are TNF-α blockers, were observed to be more effective on the PLR and NLR, and especially the NMR.

CONCLUSIONS

The NLR, NMR, PLR, and SII, which are data derived from routine blood tests, can be used in the monitoring of the treatment of psoriasis, especially with TNF-α blockers.

Systemic inflammatory markers for distinguishing uncomplicated and complicated acute appendicitis in adult patients

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate the predictive power of serum systemic inflammatory markers including neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), monocyte-eosinophil ratio (MER), and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels for distinguishing uncomplicated and complicated acute appendicitis in adult patients admitted to the emergency department (ED).

METHODS

This retrospective, cross-sectional, observational, and single-center study enrolled 212 consecutive adult patients with acute appendicitis who were admitted to the ED of our tertiary care university hospital between January 1, 2019 and December 31 2021. Patients were divided into two groups (Group I, uncomplicated acute appendicitis; Group II, complicated appendicitis) according to their surgical findings and histopathological examination. Systemic inflammatory markers measured on admission were compared among patients to identify factors associated with complicated acute appendicitis.

RESULTS

A total of 132 patients, 83 male (62.9%) and 49 female (37.1%), were included in the study. The mean age was 34.7±13.40 years. Based on the histopathological examination, the number of patients in Group I was 103 (78.03%) and 29 (21.96%) in Group II. Laboratory findings on admission revealed no significant differences between Groups I and II patients in terms of mean serum NLR, MER, and CRP values (p=0.096, p=0.248, and p=0.297, respectively). However, the mean serum PLR in Group II patients was statistically significantly higher than those in Group I (p=0.032). The mean serum monocyte and monocyte fraction (%) values were significantly lower, and the mean serum neutrophil fraction (%) value was higher in Group II patients compared to those with Group I. Receiving operator characteristic (ROC) analysis identified a serum PLR cutoff value of ≥133.73 for distinguishing uncomplicated and complicated acute appendicitis in adult patients, with 60% sensitivity and 58.4% specificity. In addition, ROC analysis revealed a cutoff monocyte fraction (%) level of ≤6, with 72% sensitivity and 64% specificity, for distinguishing uncomplicated and complicated acute appendicitis in adult patients.

CONCLUSION

Our findings indicate that the mean serum NLR, MER, and CRP values measured on admission to ED in adult patients with acute appendicitis could not predict complicated acute appendicitis. However, mean serum PLR and neutrophil and monocyte counts can be useful in distinguishing complicated cases.

Corrigendum: Single and combined use of the platelet-lymphocyte ratio, neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio, and systemic immune-inflammation index in gastric cancer diagnosis

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1143154.].

Prediction of Prognosis Acute Pancreatitis with Inflammatory Markers and Patient Characteristics Compared to the Scoring System: Real-Life Data

Objectives

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is an inflammatory disease with a high morbidity and mortality rate. It is one of the most common causes of hospitalization among gastrointestinal system diseases. Inflammatory and other factors that predict the severity of AP are very important for patient management. This study will analyze the factors associated with the severity of AP.

Methods

The sample consisted of 514 patients. Demographic characteristics, comorbid diseases, causes of AP, body mass index (BMI), tobacco use, blood at admission, amylase, lipase, leukocyte, neutrophil, lymphocyte, C-reactive protein (CRP), mean platelet volume, red cell distribution width, albumin, calcium, and CRP values at 48th h were recorded. The bedside index of severity in AP (BISAP), Ranson score, neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) values was calculated and recorded. The relationship between these parameters and the severity of AP was analyzed according to the Atlanta classification.

Results

Participants had a mean age of 55±17.8 years. More than half the participants were women (n=272, 52.9%). Biliary causes were the most common etiological causes (n=299, 58.2%). Most participants had mild pancreatitis (n=416, 80.9%). The severity of AP was associated with tobacco use, high BMI, thrombocytosis, high NLR, high PLR, high 48th h CRP, hypoalbuminemia, hypocalcemia, aspartate aminotransferase/alanine aminotransferase ratio (AST/ALT ratio), and high Ranson and BISAP scores.

Conclusion

Biochemical markers that give rapid results in the early period can provide information about the severity of AP. We may develop new scores by combining these parameters.

Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR) and Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (PLR) Can Predict Spontaneous Preterm Birth?

Purpose

To investigate the role of neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR) in the prediction of spontaneous preterm birth.

Patients and Methods

Data was retrospectively collected from hospital record between February 2018 and November 2022. Pregnant women (n = 78) with a single pregnancy between 24 and 34 weeks of gestation, presented with labor pain, and had regular uterine contractions (threatened preterm labor - TPL) were included. Patients delivered within the first week after TPL were included in group 1 (n = 40) and who delivered after in group 2 (n = 38). Two groups were investigated for NLR and PLR values.

Results

The median cervical length among women who gave birth within a week was significantly lower (24.5 versus 30.0 p < 0.001). The median neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio among women who gave birth within a week was significantly higher (6.4 versus 4.5 p < 0.001). The median platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio among women who gave birth within a week was significantly higher (151 versus 131 p < 0.001). The cut-off values to predict preterm birth were >5 for NLR (sensitivity: 90%, specificity: 92.1%), >139 for PLR (sensitivity: 97.5%, specificity: 100%).

Conclusion

NLR and PLR values predict spontaneous preterm birth with high sensitivity and specificity. By predicting preterm birth, the pregnancy process can be managed sensitively and smoothly.

A study of the relationship between brachial artery vasodilation and platelet/lymphocyte ratio in diabetic patients with coronary atherosclerosis

BACKGROUND

To investigate the correlation between brachial artery flow-mediated endothelium-dependent dilation (FMD) and platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) in peripheral blood and coronary atherosclerosis in diabetic patients.

METHODS

Seventy-five diabetic patients aged 62 ± 9 years, 68% male and 32% female, who underwent brachial artery endothelial function test and coronary CT scan were collected. Coronary artery calcification (CAC) was observed to assess the presence of coronary atherosclerosis, and high-resolution extravascular ultrasound was used to detect FMD. Platelet count and lymphocyte count were recorded by routine blood tests, and PLR was calculated for each study subject. Statistical methods were used to verify the association of FMD and PLR with CAC assessed by CT, respectively.

RESULTS

Patients with coronary atherosclerosis had decreased FMD and increased PLR compared with patients with normal coronary arteries. Univariate logistic regression analysis showed that CAC score was significantly associated with both FMD (odds ratio: 0.167; 95% confidence interval: 0.049-0.565; p = 0.002) and PLR (odds ratio: 0.127; 95% confidence interval: 0.033-0.484; p = 0.001) at FMD < 5.1% or PLR > 130. The area under the ROC curve of FMD and PLR alone was 0.760 and 0.763, respectively. In addition, combined diagnosis of FMD and PLR showed the highest area under the ROC curve (0.830).

CONCLUSION

FMD combined with PLR is expected to be a precise diagnostic modality for coronary artery calcification in diabetic patients.

Is it possible to predict the success of single dose methotrexate in the treatment of tubal ectopic pregnancies?

OBJECTIVES

In this study, the aim was to determine whether the use of endometrial thickness or neutrophil/lymphocyte and platelet/lymphocyte ratio would be useful in predicting the success of methotrexate in the treatment of ectopic pregnancies located in the fallopian tubes.

MATERAL AND METHODS

This study was carried out by retrospectively examining 68 study group cases with an ultrasonographically detectable gestational sac in the fallopian tubes and 189 control group cases with an unruptured ectopic pregnancy diagnosis at any location. The cut-off value of endometrial thickness was calculated as a new marker between the cases in which single-dose methotrexate treatment was successful and the cases with treatment failure. Treatment success was evaluated with different models including endometrial thickness, fetal cardiac activity status, measurable crown-rump length, and β-hCG.

RESULT

The cut-off value of β-hCG for treatment success was determined as 2960.5 ng/mL, and the cut-off value for endometrial thickness was determined as 10.5 mm. Although NLR seems to be a marker with a cut-off value of 2.49, it does not provide an extra benefit in combined use as it is not a specific predictor. The highest success in predicting treatment success was achieved in the modeling in which crown-rump length + fetal cardiac activity + β-hCG + endometrial thickness were used together.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of endometrial thickness as a marker seems to be quite reliable in predicting treatment success. And we think it would be beneficial to thin the endometrium before using methotrexate.

Association between Systemic Inflammatory Markers Based on Blood Cells and Polysomnographic Factors in Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Objectives

Systemic inflammation plays a key role in the pathogenesis of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA); however, methods to easily evaluate the severity of systemic inflammation are yet to be developed. This study aimed to analyze the association between systemic inflammation markers, which could be derived from the complete blood count (CBC) profile, and sleep parameters in a large number of patients with OSA.

Methods

Patients who visited our hospital's Otorhinolaryngology Sleep Clinic between January 2017 and February 2022 underwent polysomnography and routine laboratory tests, including CBC. Associations between three systemic inflammatory markers, systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and polysomnographic and demographic factors including age, sex, body mass index, apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), hypopnea index (HI), lowest oxygen saturation (%), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Epworth Sleepiness Scale, and percentages of non-Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep stage 3, REM sleep, and snoring time were analyzed. The inflammation markers of different OSA subgroups were also compared. The association was also analyzed in subgroups with different OSA severities.

Results

A total of 1102 (984 male, 134 female) patients were included, and their mean age was 46.70 ± 13.15 + mean AHI. PSQI (p = 0.027) was significantly associated with SII. There were no significant independent factors for the NLR and PLR. Within the simple snorer and mild OSA subgroups, there was no significant association between sleep parameters and the SII. In the severe OSA subgroup, AHI (p=0.004) and PSQI (p=0.012) were independently associated with SII.

Conclusion

Our study analyzed systemic inflammatory markers based on a simple, relatively cost-effective test, complete blood count, and showed that AHI and SII were significantly correlated only in the severe OSA subgroup.

The effects of pharmacomechanical thrombectomy on novel complete blood count parameters in deep vein thrombosis: A retrospective study

This study aimed to investigate the effects of pharmacomechanical thrombectomy on novel complete blood count parameters in deep venous thrombosis. This retrospective study included 242 patients aged >18 years who were treated for deep venous thrombosis. Patients were grouped as follows: group 1 was accepted as having interventional operations (n = 123) and group 2 was accepted as having only medical advice (n = 119). Routine complete blood count parameters, the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) were compared. There was no difference between the groups in terms of admission hemoglobin, hematocrit, mean platelet volume, NLR and PLR (P = .11, P = .24, P = .55, P = .93, and P = .96, respectively). In the pharmacomechanic thrombectomy group, NLR and PLR were significantly reduced after intervention when compared to the admission values (P < .001 and P < .001, respectively). However, the NLR and PLR values of medically treated patients did not differ significantly from their baseline values (P = .16 and P = .08, respectively). In this study, we effectively removed the thrombus load in blocked proximal veins using pharmacomechanical thrombectomy and observed a significant decrease in NLR and PLR, which are current, inexpensive, and accessible parameters.

Blood Count-Derived Inflammatory Markers and Acute Complications of Ischemic Heart Disease in Elderly Women

Coronary artery disease (CAD) in women occurs later than in men. Underlying atherosclerosis, a chronic process of lipoprotein deposition in arterial walls with a prominent inflammatory component, is influenced by several risk factors. In women, commonly used inflammatory markers are generally found to be related to the occurrence of acute coronary syndrome (ACS), as well as the development of other diseases that influence CAD. New inflammatory markers derived from total blood count-systemic inflammatory response index (SII), systemic inflammatory reaction index (SIRI), monocyte-lymphocyte ratio (MLR), platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR)-were analyzed in the group of 244 elderly, postmenopausal women with the diagnosis of ACS or stable CAD. SII, SIRI, MLR, and NLR were significantly higher in women with ACS compared to those with stable CAD (p < 0.05 for all)-the highest values were observed in women with NSTEMI. MLR from new inflammatory markers, HDL, and history of MI turned out to be significant factors associated with ACS. These results suggest that MLR as representative of blood count-derived inflammatory markers may be considered as additional CVD risk factors in women with suspected ACS.

Neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio and platelet-lymphocyte ratio as markers of stable ischemic heart disease in diabetic patients: An observational study

Ischemic heart disease (IHD) is a pressing public health concern with high prevalence, mortality, and morbidity. Although the value of neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) as markers of the acute coronary syndrome are well recognized, there is a paucity of data deciphering their role in screening for stable ischemic heart disease (SIHD) in the presence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The present study investigates the value of NLR and PLR as markers of SIHD in T2DM. We evaluated the predictive value of NLR and PLR for SIHD by comparing T2DM patients having angiographically proven SIHD to T2DM patients without IHD at different cutoff levels by evaluating the area under the curve (AUC) obtained from receiver-operating-characteristic analysis. Raised NLR and PLR were significantly associated with SIHD ( P < .001 for each). On performing AUC-receiver-operating-characteristic analysis, NLR of > 2.39 and PLR of > 68.80 were associated with the highest prevalence of SIHD (NLR, AUC: 0.652 [0.605-0.699]; CI: 95%; P < .001, PLR, AUC: 0.623 [0.575-0.671] CI: 95%; P < .001). The sensitivities and specificities for these cutoff values were 50% and 73% for NLR and 73% and 46% for PLR, respectively. NLR and PLR were significantly higher in SIHD compared to those without; however, these markers had limited predictive potential in the setting of T2DM.

Relationship between intracoronary thrombus burden and systemic immune-inflammation index in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction

AIM

This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between intracoronary thrombus burden and systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) and to compare the predictive capacity of SII together with the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and the platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) who underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI).

PATIENT & METHODS

A total of 425 patients were included in the study. The clinical, laboratory, and demographic characteristics of the patients were recorded. The thrombus classification "Thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI)" was used to assess the intracoronary thrombus burden. According to the TIMI thrombus classification, 229 (54%) patients with low thrombus burden (grade 0-3) and 196 (46%) patients with high thrombus burden (grade 4 and 5) were compared. SII was calculated as platelet × neutrophil/lymphocyte counts.

RESULTS

High NLR (OR: 1.068, 95% CI:1.023-1.404; p = 0.031), PLR(OR: 1.012, 95% CI:1.002-1.018; p = 0.043), SII(OR: 1.325, 95% CI: 1.156-1.879; p = 0.015) and low left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF) (OR: 0.957, 95% CI:0.924-0.990; p = 0.012) were found to be independent predictors of high thrombus burden. SII values above 812 predicted a high thrombus burden with a sensitivity of 82% and specificity of 73% (AUC: 0.836; 95% CI:0.795-0.877; p < 0.001). This predictiveness of SII was stronger as compared to NLR (0.836 vs. 0.818, p = 0.043) and PLR (0.836 vs. 0.780, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

SII is an independent predictor of high thrombus burden in patients with STEMI. In addition, SII is superior to NLR and PLR in this regard.

Association between Inflammatory Markers and Local Recurrence in Patients with Giant Cell Tumor of Bone: A Preliminary Result

Giant cell tumor of bone (GCTB) has a high local recurrence rate of approximately 20%. Systemic inflammatory markers, such as neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), modified Glasgow prognostic score (mGPS), prognostic nutritional index (PNI), lymphocyte-monocyte ratio (LMR), platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), hemoglobin (Hb), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), have been reported as prognostic markers in patients with malignant tumors. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between these markers and the local recurrence rate of GCTB. In total, 103 patients with GCTB who underwent surgery at the authors' institutions between 1993 and 2021 were included. Thirty patients experienced local recurrence. Univariate and multivariate analysis showed that tumor site, preoperative and postoperative denosumab treatment, and surgery were significantly associated with local recurrence-free survival. LDH was associated with local recurrence-free survival on univariate analysis only. NLR, mGPS, PNI, LMR, and PLR score did not correlate with the local recurrence rate. In conclusion, NLR, mGPS, PNI, LMR, PLR score, Hb, ALP, and LDH levels are not correlated with the local recurrence rate of GCTB. However, due to the small number of patients included in this study, this result should be re-evaluated in a multicenter study with a larger sample size.

Single and combined use of the platelet-lymphocyte ratio, neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio, and systemic immune-inflammation index in gastric cancer diagnosis

Introduction

The platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) are markers for systemic inflammatory responses and have been shown by numerous studies to correlate with the prognosis of gastric cancer (GC). However, the diagnostic value of these three markers in GC is unclear, and no research has examined them in combination. In this study, we investigated the value of the PLR, NLR, and SII individually or in combination for GC diagnosis and elucidated the connection of these three markers with GC patients' clinicopathological features.

Methods

This retrospective study was conducted on 125 patients diagnosed with GC and 125 healthy individuals, whose peripheral blood samples were obtained for analysis. The preoperative PLR, NLR, and SII values were subsequently calculated.

Results

The results suggest that the PLR, NLR, and SII values of the GC group were considerably higher than those of the healthy group (all P ≤ 0.001); moreover, all three parameters were notably higher in early GC patients (stage I/II) than in the healthy population. The diagnostic value of each index for GC was analyzed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis and area under the curve (AUC) calculation. The diagnostic efficacy of the SII alone (AUC: 0.831; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.777-0.885) was expressively better than those of the NLR (AUC: 0.821; 95% CI: 0.769-0.873, P = 0.017) and PLR (AUC: 0.783; 95% CI: 0.726-0.840; P = 0.020). The AUC value of the combination of the PLR, NLR, and SII (AUC: 0.843; 95% CI: 0.791-0.885) was significantly higher than that of the combination of the SII and NLR (0.837, 95% CI: 0.785-0.880, P≤0.05), PLR (P = 0.020), NLR (P = 0.017), or SII alone (P ≤ 0.001). The optimal cut-off values were determined for the PLR, NLR, and SII using ROC analysis (SII: 438.7; NLR: 2.1; PLR: 139.5). Additionally, the PLR, NLR, and SII values were all meaningfully connected with the tumor size, TNM stage, lymph node metastasis, and serosa invasion (all P ≤ 0.05). Elevated levels of the NLR and SII were linked to distant metastasis (all P ≤ 0.001).

Discussion

These data suggest that the preoperative PLR, NLR, and SII could thus be utilized as diagnostic markers for GC or even early GC. Among these three indicators, the SII had the best diagnostic efficacy for GC, and the combination of the three could further improve diagnostic efficiency.

Systemic inflammation factors as survival prognosis markers in ovarian neoplasm and the relationship with cancer-associated inflammatory mediators-a review

At the level of the genital system, ovarian neoplasm is the most frequent cause of morbidity and mortality. In the specialized literature, the coexistence of an inflammatory process is admitted from the early stages of the evolution of this pathology. Starting from the importance of this process, both in determinism and in the evolution of carcinogenesis and summarizing the field of knowledge, for this study we considered two objectives: the first was the presentation of the pathogenic mechanism, through which chronic +ovarian inflammation is involved in the process of carcinogenesis, and the second is the justification of the clinical utility of the three parameters, accepted as biomarkers of systemic inflammation: neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio, platelet lymphocyte ratio, and lymphocyte-monocyte ratio in the assessment of prognosis. The study highlights the acceptance of these hematological parameters, with practical utility, as prognostic biomarkers in ovarian cancer, based on the intrinsic link with cancer-associated inflammatory mediators. Based on the data from the specialized literature, the conclusion is that in ovarian cancer, the inflammatory process induced by the presence of the tumor, induces changes in the types of circulating leukocytes, with immediate effects on the markers of systemic inflammation.

Exploring the association and causal effect between white blood cells and psoriasis using large-scale population data

Introduction

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the skin. A few studies have shown that psoriasis is an immune-mediated disease in which multiple immune cells play crucial roles. However, the association between circulating immune cells and psoriasis remains elusive.

Methods

To explore the role of circulating immune cells in psoriasis, 361,322 individuals from the UK Biobank (UKB) and 3,971 patients with psoriasis from China were included to investigate the association between white blood cells and psoriasis via an observational study. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and Mendelian randomization (MR) were used to evaluate the causal relationship between circulating leukocytes and psoriasis.

Results

The risk of psoriasis increased with high levels of monocytes, neutrophils, and eosinophils (relative risks and 95% confidence intervals, respectively: 1.430 (1.291-1.584) for monocytes, 1.527 (1.379-1.692) for neutrophils, and 1.417 (1.294-1.551) for eosinophils). Upon further MR analysis, eosinophils showed a definite causal relationship with psoriasis (odds ratio of inverse-variance weighted: 1.386, 95% confidence intervals: 1.092-1.759) and a positive correlation with the psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) score (P = 6.6 × 10^-5). The roles of the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and lymphocyte-monocyte ratio (LMR) in psoriasis were also assessed. More than 20,000 genetic variations associated with NLR, PLR, and LMR were discovered in a GWAS analysis using the UKB data. Following adjustment for covariates in the observational study, NLR and PLR were shown to be risk factors for psoriasis, whereas LMR was a protective factor. MR results indicated that there was no causal relationship between these three indicators and psoriasis; however, NLR, PLR, and LMR correlated with the PASI score (NLR: rho = 0.244, P = 2.1 × 10^-21; PLR: rho = 0.113, P = 1.4 × 10^-5; LMR: rho = -0.242, P = 3.5×10^-21).

Discussion

Our findings revealed an important association between circulating leukocytes and psoriasis, which is instructive for the clinical practice of psoriasis treatment.

The association of allergic rhinitis severity with neutrophil-lymphocyte and platelet-lymphocyte ratio in children

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between the severity of allergic rhinitis (AR) and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) in pediatric patients.

METHODS

This study is a retrospective, cross-sectional, and observational study including 200 AR patients and 160 healthy controls. Of the patients, 39% were boys with a mean age of 10.5 years. The study included children with persistent and intermittent AR. Of the controls, 50.6% were boys with a mean age of 10.3 years. We compared NLR and PLR from blood test between study and control groups. They were also compared according to AR severity within the patient group.

RESULTS

The NLR was 1.64±1.29 in the study group whereas 1.18±0.31 in the control group. The PLR was 102.72±31.20 in the study group whereas 79.36±11.72 in the control group. When NLR and PLR were compared between groups, we found statistically significant differences in both NLR and PLR (p=0.003, p=0.001, respectively). We found a statistically significant difference when comparing both NLR and PLR in patients with intermittent and persistent AR. These rates increased with disease severity (p=0.000, p=0.000, respectively).

CONCLUSION

Both NLR and PLR are useful markers for the diagnosis and severity of AR. Clinicians can use these markers to assess disease severity in pediatric patients at the beginning of the diagnostic process.

VASOplegia is Predicted by Preoperative Platelet-LEucocyte conGlomerate Indices in Cardiac Surgery (VASOPLEGICS): A retrospective single-center study

Background

Post-cardiotomy vasoplegia syndrome (VS) is often linked to an exaggerated inflammatory response to cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). At the same time, the prognostic role of platelet-leucocyte indices (PLIs) and leucocyte indices (LIs), (platelet-lymphocyte ratio [PLR], systemic immune-inflammation index [SII = platelet × neutrophil/lymphocyte], aggregate index of systemic inflammation [AISI = platelet × monocyte × neutrophil/lymphocyte], and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio [NLR], systemic inflammation response index [SIRI = monocyte × neutrophil/lymphocyte), respectively] has been recently described in diverse inflammatory settings.

Methods

The retrospective study was conducted to evaluate the VS predictive performance of PLIs and LIs in 1,045 adult patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery at a tertiary care center. VS was defined by mean blood pressure <60 mmHg, low systemic vascular resistance (SVRI <1,500 dynes.s/cm 5/m2), a normal or high CI (>2.5 L/min/m2), and a normal or reduced central filling pressure despite high-dose vasopressors.

Results

About 205 (19.61%) patients developed VS postoperatively. On univariate analysis, age, diabetes, dialysis-dependent renal failure, preoperative congestive heart failure (CHF), the European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation (EuroSCORE) II, ejection fraction, NLR, PLR, SII, SIRI, AISI, CPB, and aortic cross clamp (ACC) duration, packed red blood cell (PRBC) transfusion, and time-weighted average blood glucose predicted VS. Subsequent to the multivariate analysis, the predictive performance of EuroSCORE II (OR: 3.236; 95% CI: 2.345-4.468; P < 0.001), CHF (OR: 1.04; 95% CI: 1.02-1.06; P = 0.011), SII (OR: 1.09; 95% CI: 1.02-1.18; P = 0.001), AISI (OR: 1.11; 95% CI: 1.05-1.17; P < 0.001), PRBC (OR: 4.747; 95% CI: 2.443-9.223; P < 0.001), ACC time (OR: 1.003; 95% CI: 1.001-1.005; P = 0.004), and CPB time (OR: 1.016; 95% CI: 1.004-1.028; P = 0.001) remained significant. VS predictive cut-offs of SII and AISI were 1,045 1045×109 /mm3 and 137532×109/mm3, respectively. AISI positively correlated with the postoperative vasoactive-inotropic score (R = 0.718), lactate (R = 0.655), mechanical ventilation duration (R = 0.837), and ICU stay (R = 0.757).

Conclusions

Preoperative elevated SII and AISI emerged as independent predictors of post-cardiotomy VS.

Correlation of neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and mean platelet volume (MPV) with gout activity: A monocentric and retrospective study

To evaluate the correlation of neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and mean platelet volume (MPV) with parameters related to gout activity. The general data of the patients and healthy controls (HCs), including complete blood count, C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), serum uric acid (SUA), and the presence of tophi were retrospectively analyzed. NLR, MPV, and PLR were calculated in patients with intercritical gout and gout flares. Correlation of the 3 markers with clinical features, like ESR, CRP, SUA, and the presence of tophi, were analyzed. The results revealed that NLR and PLR were elevated and MPV was markedly decreased in patients with gout compared with HCs (all P < .05). In patients with gout flares, NLR, and PLR were higher and MPV was lower than in intercritical gout patients (all P < .05). NLR and PLR were positively correlated with ESR and CRP, whereas MPV was negatively correlated with ESR. NLR, PLR, and MPV showed no obvious correlation with SUA and the presence of tophi. The receiver operating characteristic curve showed that NLR was more valuable in assessing gout disease activity. NLR, PLR, and MPV were correlated with inflammatory parameters in gout; they may be used as complementary tools to evaluate gout activity.

Comparative Analysis of Preoperative Ratio Based Markers in Predicting Postoperative Infectious Complications After Gastrectomy

AIM

Postoperative infections (POIs) are associated with prolonged postoperative recovery, delayed adjuvant therapy, psychological problems, and poor long-term outcomes. The study aims to cross-compare the ratio-based preoperative parameters to predict POIs in patients with D2 gastrectomy for gastric cancer.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A retrospective cohort and single-center study evaluated the data of 293 patients who underwent curative gastrectomy between January 2007 and November 2019 in a tertiary hospital in Istanbul. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to assess the ability of laboratory values to predict clinically relevant POIs. The predictive capacity of the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), lymphocyte-monocyte ratio (LMR), platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and CRP-albumin ratio (CAR) was calculated by the area under the curve. Then, the cutoff points were determined for all 4 indexes.

RESULTS

POIs developed in 77 (26.2%) patients. Patients with POI had higher Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) scores and a longer length of hospital stay. ROC curve analysis revealed that NLR, LMR, and CAR were significantly effective in predicting POI, while PLR was ineffective. LMR was the best ability to predict the POI. According to multivariate analysis, CCI score 3, NLR&gt; 3.8, and LMR 2.34 were independent risk factors influencing the POI.

CONCLUSION

Preoperative LMR was most predictive for POI. Although CAR predicted the development of the POI, it was not superior to LMR and NLR. PLR did not have any prediction for POI. In addition, increased comorbidity (CCI 3) was an independent risk factor for POI.

Prognostic Role of the Platelet-Lymphocyte Ratio in Acute Ischemic Stroke Patients Undergoing Reperfusion Therapy: A Meta-Analysis

Background

Both inflammation and thrombotic/hemostatic mechanisms may play a role in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) pathogenesis, and a biomarker, such as the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), considering both mechanisms may be of clinical utility.

Objectives

This meta-analysis sought to examine the effect of PLR on functional outcomes, early neurological changes, bleeding complications, mortality, and adverse outcomes in AIS patients treated with reperfusion therapy (RT).

Design

Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Data Sources and Methods

Individual studies were retrieved from the PubMed/Medline, EMBASE and Cochrane databases. References thereof were also consulted. Data were extracted using a standardised data sheet, and systematic reviews and meta-analyses on the association of admission (pre-RT) or delayed (post-RT) PLR with defined clinical and safety outcomes were conducted. In the case of multiple delayed PLR timepoints, the timepoint closest to 24 hours was selected.

Results

Eighteen studies (n=4878) were identified for the systematic review, of which 14 (n=4413) were included in the meta-analyses. PLR collected at admission was significantly negatively associated with 90-day good functional outcomes (SMD=−.32; 95% CI = −.58 to −.05; P=.020; z=−2.328), as was PLR collected at delayed timepoints (SMD=−.43; 95% CI = −.54 to −.32; P<.0001; z=−7.454). PLR at delayed timepoints was also significantly negatively associated with ENI (SMD=−.18; 95% CI = −.29 to −.08; P=.001. Conversely, the study suggested that a higher PLR at delayed timepoints may be associated with radiological bleeding and mortality. The results varied based on the type of RT administered.

Conclusions

A higher PLR is associated with worse outcomes after stroke in terms of morbidity, mortality, and safety outcomes after stroke.

Relationship of inflammatory and metabolic parameters in adolescents with PCOS: BMI matched case-control study

Objective

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) begins in adolescence and has cardiovascular and metabolic components in later years. Cystatin C and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels and neutrophil-lymphocyte and platelet-lymphocyte ratios are associated with metabolic and inflammatory events. Here, we evaluated inflammatory and metabolic parameters in normal and overweight adolescents with PCOS.

Materials and methods

This prospective case-control study enrolled 90 adolescents with PCOS and 100 matched by age and BMI healthy adolescents classified as either normal weight (NW) and overweight (OW). Groups were compared based on inflammatory and metabolic parameters (serum cystatin C, hs-CRP, neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), lipids, fasting blood glucose-insulin (FBG-FI), HOMA-IR levels, waist circumference [WC], and waist-hip ratio [WHR]). The relationship between the parameters were compared and predictive abilities were evaluated.

Results

Cystatin C, hs-CRP, NLR, triglyceride (TG), FBG-FI, HOMA-IR, WC, and WHR were significantly higher in those with PCOS. The NW PCOS group had significantly higher TG, cystatin C, hs-CRP, and NLR versus OW controls. The highest HOMA-IR values were observed in OW PCOS (p < .05). Cystatin C and hs-CRP sensitivity and specificity were significant (p < 0.05). Cystatin C and hs-CRP were positively correlated with other metabolic parameters.

Conclusion

Independent of BMI, inflammatory and metabolic parameters are significantly higher in adolescents with PCOS compared to controls and even worse in those who are also OW. Therefore, adolescents with PCOS should be encouraged to maintain healthy lifestyles and weights to avoid metabolic risks. Hs-CRP and cystatin C could be promising markers to predictive of future metabolic risks.

Prognostic Role of NLR, PLR and MHR in Patients With Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

Background

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic, progressive interstitial lung disease with low survival time. Since the pathophysiological progression of IPF is closely associated with immunological and inflammatory responses, immune biomarkers, including neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and monocyte-high density lipoprotein ratio (MHR), have the potential to predict overall survival in IPF patients.

Methods

A total of 278 patients with IPF were finally enrolled. The demographic and clinical characteristics of the patients at baseline were recorded. Multivariable Cox regression analysis was used to evaluate the association between the three biomarkers and overall survival in both the total cohort and acute exacerbation subgroup.

Results

The median follow-up was 5.84 months. After adjusting for confounders, we found that only elevated NLR was associated with worse overall survival (OR = 1.019, 95% CI 1.001-1.037, P =0.041) by using multivariable Cox regression analysis. In 116 acute exacerbation IPF patients, the results of the Cox multiple regression model also indicated that the NLR was a significant prognostic factor (OR= 1.022, 95% CI 1.001-1.044, P =0.036). The NLR before death was also significantly higher than that at admission in nonsurvival acute exacerbation IPF patients (P=0.014). No significant differences were found in PLR (P=0.739) or MHR changes (P=0.478).

Conclusions

Our results indicated that elevated NLR expression is associated with shorter overall survival in IPF patients, which is independent of other prognostic factors. The NLR may be regarded as a reliable prognostic biomarker for IPF patients.

Effect of chronic opioid use on the hematological and inflammatory markers: A retrospective study from North India

BACKGROUND

Chronic opioid use affects biological functioning implicating the hematopoietic and immune system. It may alter various hematological parameters and inflammatory markers. This study aimed to assess the association of opioid dependence with the hematological parameters and inflammatory markers in the Indian population.

METHODS

A retrospective chart review was done among opioid dependent (ODS) males and healthy controls (HC) who visited the center's laboratory between Jan 2017 and Dec 2018 for hematological investigations. Clinical records reviewed for opioid use details like type, duration, and route of administration. The hematological profile presented as Mean or median. Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare the hematological parameters between the cases and controls.

RESULTS

The study included 191 ODS patients and 123 controls. Among ODS patients, a significant decrease in the levels of hemoglobin, mean corpuscular volume, and mean corpuscular hemoglobin and an increase in RBC count and lymphocytes was observed when compared to controls. The inflammatory markers, Neutrophil-Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR) and Platelet-Lymphocyte Ratio, were significantly lower among ODS. Longer duration of opioid use leads to increased NLR among ODS patients. Opioid use by injection did not alter any of the hematological parameters compared to non-injection drug use.

CONCLUSION

Chronic opioid use has a significant effect on the hematopoietic cells. Opioid use for longer durations increases the inflammatory markers suggesting underlying infections.

The association of neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio and platelet-lymphocyte ratio with retinal vein occlusion: a systematic review and meta-analysis

The neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) are emerging haematological inflammatory biomarkers. However, their significance in retinal vein occlusion (RVO) and its subtypes, branch and central RVO (BRVO and CRVO, respectively), is uncertain. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to clarify the association of NLR and PLR with RVO. We searched MEDLINE (Ovid), EMBASE (Ovid) and the Cochrane Library for studies investigating the association of NLR and PLR with RVO from inception to 2 December 2020. We used random-effects inverse-variance modelling to generate pooled effect measures. We used bivariate Bayesian modelling to meta-analyse the ability of NLR and PLR to differ between individuals with and without RVO and performed meta-regression and sensitivity analyses to explore inter-study heterogeneity. Eight studies published encompassing 1059 patients were included for analysis. Both NLR and PLR were significantly elevated in RVO, with pooled mean differences of 0.63 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.31-0.95) and 21.49 (95% CI 10.03-32.95), respectively. The pooled sensitivity, specificity and area under the Bayesian summary receiver operating characteristic curve were, respectively, 0.629 (95% credible interval (CrI) 0.284-0.872), 0.731 (95% CrI 0.373-0.934) and 0.688 (95% CrI 0.358-0.872) for NLR; and 0.645 (95% CrI 0.456-0.779), 0.616 (95% CrI 0.428-0.761) and 0.621 (95% CrI 0.452-0.741) for PLR. Mean and variability of age and diabetes mellitus prevalence partially explained between-study heterogeneity. NLR and PLR are significantly elevated in RVO. Future research is needed to investigate the potential prognostic value and independence of these findings.

High Neutrophil-Lymphocyte Ratio, Platelet-Lymphocyte Ratio and Low Lymphocyte Levels Are Correlated With Worse Pathological Complete Response Rates

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effect of hemogram parameters on predicting pathological complete response (pCR) in locally advanced rectal cancer.

METHODOLOGY

A total of 227 patients with rectal cancer treated with neoadjuvant concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CRT) were retrospectively analyzed. All patients were divided into two subgroups as high or low hemogram parameters according to the cut-off value obtained using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve.

RESULTS

In patients with low neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) levels, pCR rate was statistically significantly higher than the group with high NLR and PLR levels (for NLR: 39.77% vs. 5.34%; p<0.001, for PLR: 32.38% vs 7.01%; p<0.001 respectively). In addition, the pCR rate was significantly better in patients with high lymphocyte levels compared to the group with low lymphocyte levels (33.33% vs. 7.5%; p<0.001, respectively). According to the multivariate logistic regression analysis result, NLR and PLR levels were considered as independent predictors to predict pathological complete response [p<0.001, HR: 0.128 (95% CI=0.051 - 0.322) for NLR; p=0.017, HR: 0.332 (95% CI=0.134 - 0.821) for PLR, respectively].

CONCLUSION

Our study showed that high NLR, PLR, and low lymphocyte levels were correlated with worse pCR rates. In addition to that, NLR and PLR emerged as independent predictive markers.

Relationship of cystatin C, Hs-CRP, neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio and platelet-lymphocyte ratio with isolated oligohydramnios

OBJECTIVES

We evaluated inflammatory parameters in pregnant women with isolated oligohydramnios.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

This prospective cross-sectional study enrolled 54 pregnant with isolated oligohydramnios (IO) and 54 matched by gestational week, healthy pregnant with normal amniotic fluid. Maternal plasma levels of cystatin C, hs-CRP, neutrophil-lymphocyte ratios (NLR), platelet-lymphocyte ratios (PLR), and pregnancy outcomes were compared between two groups.

RESULTS

Cystatin C, hs-CRP, and PLR were significantly higher in the IO group than that in the control group (p < 0.05). In the IO group, the rate of primary cesarean section, fetal distress, neonates with meconium-stained, and need for neonatal intensive care unit was higher, and Apgar scores were significantly lower than those in the control group (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference between the groups for meconium-stained neonate rates and the intensive care unit's need in the late-term (410/7-416/7 weeks). Cystatin C, hs-CRP, and PLR were significantly higher in the IO group than the control group (p < 0.05). Cystatin C was positively correlated with the need for neonatal intensive care and negatively correlated with Apgar scores. The PLR was positively correlated with the rate of meconium-stained neonates (p < 0.05). Cystatin C and hs-CRP had significant value in predicting IO (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Maternal serum levels of Cystatin C and hs-CRP may support the diagnosis and prediction of perinatal outcomes as possible biochemical markers in IO cases. In particular, a high level of cystatin C may indicate the need for neonatal intensive care and low Apgar scores. In addition, late-term IO may show similar results in meconium and neonatal intensive care needs compared to without oligohydramnios.

Pretreatment Neutrophil Count and Platelet-lymphocyte Ratio as Predictors of Metastasis in Patients With Osteosarcoma

BACKGROUND/AIM

Systemic inflammation responses have been associated with cancer development, progression and metastasis. Little is known about the risk of metastasis based on inflammatory-based scores in patients with osteosarcoma.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A total of 65 osteosarcoma patients without metastasis at presentation were enrolled in this retrospective study. All had been diagnosed histologically, and their laboratory data at the first visit were collected from medical records. The inflammation-based scores, tumor size, location, staging, pathological fracture, treatment methods, follow-up periods, and metastasis-free duration were evaluated.

RESULTS

A multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that a high platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) >116 [hazard ratio (HR)=3.8, 95% confidence interval =1.5-9.3; p<0.01], and neutrophil count (NC) ≤4,030/μl (HR=4.5, 95%CI=1.7-12.3; p<0.01), were independent risk factors significantly associated with metastasis of osteosarcoma patients.

CONCLUSION

The combination of a high PLR >116 and NC ≤4,030/μl before treatment was a useful inflammatory-based prognostic indicator for metastasis in patients with osteosarcoma.

The Systemic Inflammatory Response Identifies Patients with Adverse Clinical Outcome from Immunotherapy in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Systemic inflammation is a hallmark of cancer, and it has a pivotal role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development and progression. We conducted a retrospective study including 362 patients receiving immune check-point inhibitors (ICIs) across three continents, evaluating the influence of neutrophiles to lymphocytes ratio (NLR), platelets to lymphocytes ratio (PLR), and prognostic nutritional index (PNI) on overall (OS), progression free survival (PFS), and radiologic responses. In our 362 patients treated with immunotherapy, median OS and PFS were 9 and 3.5 months, respectively. Amongst tested inflammatory biomarkers, patients with NLR ≥ 5 had shorter OS (7.7 vs. 17.6 months, p < 0.0001), PFS (2.1 vs. 3.8 months, p = 0.025), and lower objective response rate (ORR) (12% vs. 22%, p = 0.034); similarly, patients with PLR ≥ 300 reported shorter OS (6.4 vs. 16.5 months, p < 0.0001) and PFS (1.8 vs. 3.7 months, p = 0.0006). NLR emerged as independent prognostic factors for OS in univariate and multivariate analysis (HR 1.95, 95%CI 1.45-2.64, p < 0.001; HR 1.73, 95%CI 1.23-2.42, p = 0.002) and PLR remained an independent prognostic factor for both OS and PFS in multivariate analysis (HR 1.60, 95%CI 1.6-2.40, p = 0.020; HR 1.99, 95%CI 1.11-3.49, p = 0.021). Systemic inflammation measured by NLR and PLR is an independent negative prognostic factor in HCC patients undergoing ICI therapy. Further studies are required to understand the biological mechanisms underlying this association and to investigate the predictive significance of circulating inflammatory biomarkers in HCC patients treated with ICIs.

Usefulness of Inflammation-Based Prognostic Scores in Patients with Surgically Treated Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma

In this study, we evaluated the prognostic value of inflammation-based prognostic scores in patients undergoing curative surgery for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). A retrospective analysis was conducted for 914 patients undergoing curative surgical resection for PDAC between January 2011 and April 2016. Inflammation-based scores of modified Glasgow Prognostic Score (mGPS), neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio, and platelet-lymphocyte ratio were assessed. mGPS was classified as high (1 or 2) or low (0). Median age was 63 (range, 33–88) years; 538 patients (58.9%) were male. A high mGPS was independently associated with poor overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) (median OS: 25.4 months vs. 20.4 months, p = 0.001; median DFS: 11.6 months vs. 9.3 months, p = 0.002), poor OS in patients with TNM stage I PDAC (44 months vs. 24.8 months, p = 0.001), and poor OS and DFS in patients with tumors located at the pancreatic head or uncinate process (OS: 25.4 months vs. 20.4 months; p = 0.007, DFS: 11.4 months vs. 8.87 months; p = 0.005). Preoperative mGPS was a significant prognostic factor for PDAC after curative resection; thus, mGPS can be a useful prognostic predictive factor in patients with TNM stage I PDAC, especially for tumors located at the head and uncinate.

Comparison of General and Spinal Anaesthesia on Systemic Inflammatory Response in Patients Undergoing Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Propensity Score Matching Analysis

Background and Objectives: Some of the postoperative complications following orthopaedic surgeries are associated with a systemic inflammatory response (SIR), which varies depending on the anaesthetic technique. We aimed to compare the effects of general and spinal anaesthesia on the SIR after total knee arthroplasty (TKA), based on C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, the platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR). Materials and Methods: Patients who underwent TKA between January 2014 and December 2018 were included. Electronic medical records of the patients were retrospectively reviewed and analysed. To reduce the impact of potential confounding factors, we performed propensity score matching according to the anaesthetic technique. Results: A total of 1311 TKA cases were analysed. After propensity score matching, the maximal CRP value and changes in CRP levels in the general anaesthesia group were higher than those in the spinal anaesthesia group. However, the maximal NLR and PLR and the changes in NLR and PLR were not different between the two groups. There were no differences in postoperative clinical outcomes. Conclusion: Spinal anaesthesia tended to induce a lower inflammatory response than general anaesthesia when considering CRP levels in patients undergoing TKA. However, the effects of anaesthetic techniques on the overall outcomes were not significant.

Neutrophil-lymphocyte, platelet-lymphocyte and lymphocyte-monocyte ratios may not be useful markers to assess disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis: A STROBE-compliant article

The associations among the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and lymphocyte-monocyte ratio (LMR) and disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis remains unclear.To evaluate these indicators as potential markers of disease activity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).This cross-sectional study included 547 adult patients with RA. The patients were divided into two groups according to the disease activity score (DAS) system: remission and disease activity. Differences in the NLR, PLR and LMR of the two groups were assessed. Correlations were analyzed using Spearman analysis, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to identify the sensitivity, specificity, and optimal cutoff values to differentiate active RA patients from inactive RA patients.There was a statistically significant difference in the NLR (4.2 ± 3.2 vs 3.4 ± 2.4, P = .034) and PLR (222.3 ± 136.4 vs 176.9 ± 89.8, P = .006) between the two groups, but not for the LMR (3.0 ± 1.8 vs 3.4 ± 2.4, P = .115). In addition, the DAS28 and traditional inflammatory markers, including ESR and CRP, were weakly positively correlated with the NLR and PLR. Based on the ROC curves, the NLR (sensitivity 31.8%, specificity 77.8%) and PLR (sensitivity 57.3%, specificity 63.9%) were less valuable than the ESR (sensitivity 67.2%, specificity 91.7%) and CRP (sensitivity 76.2%, specificity 91.7%) for differentiating inactive RA patients from active RA patients due to low sensitivity and specificity and combining NLR or PLR also cannot significantly improved the diagnostic value of ESR and CRP.NLR, PLR and LMR may not be an useful independent diagnostic or complementary marker for disease activity in RA patients.

Acute Appendicitis During Pregnancy: A Case Series of 42 Pregnant Women

Introduction It is difficult to diagnose the symptoms of acute appendicitis in pregnant women due to its similarities with pregnancy physiology. In this study, we examined the diagnostic value of laboratory parameters in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis in pregnant women. Material and methods Forty-two patients who underwent appendectomy during pregnancy were evaluated. The demographic characteristics, laboratory parameters and imaging methods of the patients were examined. According to the pathology results, the patients were evaluated in two groups as normal appendix and acute appendicitis. In addition, a non-pregnant control group was formed to compare the results between the pregnant and control groups. Results The mean age of the 42 patients was 30±6 years, and the pathology results were evaluated as normal in 16 (38.1%) of the patients. As imaging methods, ultrasonography was undertaken in all patients, with MRI being additionally performed in two patients. When the normal appendix and acute appendicitis groups were compared, no significant difference was observed in terms of laboratory parameters (neutrophil, lymphocyte, white blood cell and platelet counts, neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio, platelet-lymphocyte ratio, mean thrombocyte volume, red cell distribution width, and pregnancy trimesters (P>0.05). The group that had undergone appendectomy had a significantly higher rate of negative appendectomy compared to the control group (P=0.001). Conclusion Laboratory parameters alone cannot be sufficient for the diagnosis of acute appendicitis in pregnant patients. If clinical examination, laboratory parameters and USG are not sufficient for diagnosis, MRI is the imaging method that should be considered to reduce negative appendectomy rate.

Administration of Nivolumab in Metastatic Renal Cell Cancer Following Treatment With mTOR Inhibitors

BACKGROUND/AIM

Immunotherapy with checkpoint inhibitors is currently considered a cornerstone of metastatic renal clear cell cancer (mRCC) therapy. Despite the general improvement in the survival of patients with mRCC, there are some clinical situations that have not been specifically evaluated in clinical trials, such as the use of everolimus before nivolumab.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We performed a retrospective analysis evaluating the efficacy of nivolumab in the real-world setting, including a subset of patients with previous mTOR inhibitor therapy.

RESULTS

From a total of 56 patients, 25 were pre-treated with everolimus before receiving nivolumab. The overall progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and objective response rate were 10.3, 21.3 months, and 34%, respectively. There were no statistically significant differences in patients who were or were not pre-treated with everolimus.

CONCLUSION

mRCC patients should be treated with checkpoint inhibitors and prior use of mTOR inhibitors should not be a definitive exclusion criterium.

The effect of smoking on COVID-19-linked biomarkers in hospitalized patients with COVID-19

Background

The coronavirus pandemic, an infection (coronavirus disease 2019—COVID‐19), caused by severe acute respiratory disease coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2), continues to have a strong influence worldwide. Although smoking is a major known risk factor for respiratory infectious disease, the effects of smoking on COVID‐19 are unclear. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the relationship between smoking and important hematologic (lymphocyte count, neutrophil count, platelet count, neutrophil‐lymphocyte ratio [NLR], platelet‐lymphocyte ratio [PLR]), inflammatory, and biochemical biomarkers in the prognosis of hospitalized patients with COVID‐19.

Methods

In a COVID‐19 pandemic hospital between June and August 2020, 200 adult patients aged over 18 years were hospitalized with COVID‐19 inflammatory and hematologic biomarkers at their first admission and smoking data were selected for this study.

Results

The rate of smokers was much higher among men (91.5%) than in women (8.5%) (p = 0.001). Neutrophil counts were evaluated and was significantly higher in current smokers (p < 0.001) and ex‐smokers (p = 0.001), and NLR (p = 0.008) and ferritin (p = 0.004) levels were higher than in never smokers. The saturation of patients had a negative significant linear correlation of NLR, PLR, and pack years of smoking. Compared with never smokers, current smokers had higher neutrophil counts (OR = 0.828 [0.750–0.915]; p = 0.041), NLR values (OR = 0.948 [0.910–0.987]; p = 0.009), and CRP levels (OR = 0.994 [0.990–0.999]; p = 0.019).

Conclusion

Serum neutrophil, NLR, and ferritin levels, which are widely used in determining the prognosis of COVID‐19, were found higher in current smokers/ex‐smokers. These results support the view that a poor prognosis of COVID‐19 is associated with smoking.