Determining the prognostic value of CRP and neutrophil lymphocyte ratio in patients hospitalized for deep neck infection

Objectives

This study aims to assess the impact of the Neutrophil/Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR) and C-Reactive Protein (CRP), both markers of systemic inflammation, on the duration of hospitalization for Deep Neck Infections (DNIs).

Methods

The research encompassed patients of all age groups admitted between January 2016 and January 2021 due to DNIs. Patient data, including demographic details, etiology, comorbidities, radiological findings, treatment specifics, laboratory results (CRP values, leukocyte counts, neutrophil counts, lymphocyte counts, NLR), culture outcomes, length of stay, complications, mortalities were retrospectively evaluated. Patients were categorized into two groups based on their hospitalization duration: less than 7-days and 7-days or more. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to examine the association between age, NLR, CRP, and hospital stay length.

Results

The study encompassed 275 patients, with a mean age of 36 ± 20.2 years. The mean hospital stay was 9.6 ± 6.6 days. Tonsillopharyngeal infections were the most common etiology (34%). Notably, in both univariate and multivariate analyses, age, NLR, and CRP values demonstrated significant (p < 0.05) predictive influence on hospitalization duration.

Conclusion

Age emerges as a determinant that affects hospital stay duration in DNIs. Moreover, NLR is proven to be comparable to CRP in predicting hospitalization length for these patients. NLR's feasibility as a cost-effective predictive marker, being conveniently derived from routine complete blood count assessments, adds to its clinical significance. This study underscores the potential value of NLR and CRP in informing patient management and care strategies for DNIs.