Clinical Value of Lymphocyte Count in Risk Prediction of Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma: A Case-Control Study in a Chinese Population.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the association between preoperative peripheral blood lymphocyte count and the risk of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) in a Chinese population using a case-control design.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 1832 patients who underwent thyroid surgery, including 1007 diagnosed with benign thyroid nodules and 825 with PTC. Clinical parameters, including lymphocyte count, nodule volume, thyroid function, and thyroid autoantibody levels, were assessed. Multivariate regression and stratified analyses were conducted to examine the relationship between lymphocyte count and PTC risk.

Results: The mean lymphocyte count was significantly higher in patients with PTC compared to those with benign thyroid nodules (1.20 ± 0.63 vs 1.87 ± 0.53, p < 0.001). Multivariate regression analysis indicated a dose-response relationship, with patients in the highest lymphocyte count group exhibiting an odds ratio of 15.02 (95% CI: 7.52-30.03, p < 0.0001). Receiver operating curve analysis demonstrated good diagnostic performance (AUC = 0.8068). Stratified analyses revealed variations in risk patterns across subgroups stratified by age, sex, and nodule volume.

Conclusion: Lymphocyte count may serve as a potential predictor of PTC risk. This finding may provide new insights into early clinical risk stratification and personalized screening strategies in the management of PTC.