Pulmonary originated sepsis: Can N/L ratio be used as follow-up marker?

Abstract

Introduction: Severe sepsis is the significant cause of morbidity and mortality in the intensive care unit(ICU).Neutrophil lymphocyte ratio(NLR) is the newly defined inflammatory marker which is also valuable as infectious marker.We aimed in this study to answer the question of if NLR can be used in monitoring patients with pulmonary sepsis(PS)in the ICU.

Method: The retrospective observational cohort study was performed in the research hospital ICU in January 2013-December 2014.All patients accepted with sepsis to the ICU were included in the study.The demographic characteristics of patients with additional diseases,ICU admission and discharge time,ABG,CBC values and NLR,platelet / mean platelet,biochemistry values,C-reactive protein(CRP),APACHE II,SOFA scores,mechanical ventilation,appropriateness of antibiotic, culture results, ICU length of stay and mortality were recorded.Patients were divided into two groups with septic shock(Group 1) or without septic shock(Group 2) at the admission.Groups were compared with the recorded values.

Results The 249(67.5% male)patients were scheduled in the study period.Group 1,n =53(72%male) with a mean age(SD)67(14)and group 2,n=196(79%male) with a mean age of 70(15) were similar.Patient groups were summarized in Table 1 according to the presence of mortality SOFA,APACHE II,CRP and NLR at the ICU entrance,with 3 days and the last day results.

Conclusion Complete blood count values whichviewed quickly and easily in the ICU(NLR),as valuable as CRP to the evaluation of treatment response for infections in ICU patients with sepsis.NLR is a fast,easy and inexpensive method.We recommend NLR can be used in monitoring of treatment response of sepsis.