Does the pre-operative neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio have a predictive value in detecting infection in type 3 open tibia diaphysis fractures?

BACKGROUND: This retrospective study was aimed to investigate whether the pre-operative neutrophil-lymphocyte (N/L) ratio has a predictive value in terms of evaluating the development of infection in patients with type 3 open fractures of the tibia diaphysis. METHODS: A total of 72 patients with type 3 open tibia fractures who consulted to the emergency service at the Necmettin Erbakan University Meram Faculty of Medicine, during the period between 2015 and 2020 were retrospectively examined. A total of 39 patients who underwent external fixator in the first treatment were included in the study. The information pertaining to the patients such as the patient demographic data, type of injury, wound cultures, and N/L rates during the pre-operative period were recorded. Patients were divided into two groups based on the presence of infection: Group 1 (12 patients) consisted of patients who had infection, and Group 2 (27 patients) consisted of patients who had no infection. RESULTS: 34 (87.2%) of the patients were male and 5 (12.8%) were women. The mean age of these patients was 43.18±18.67 (19–80). Infection was detected in 12 (30.8%) out of 39 patients. Of these patients, 9 (75%) were monomicrobial, and 3 (25%) were polymicrobial. The most common mechanism of the injury was gunshot injury in 16 (41%) of all patients. However, there was no significant difference between the groups in terms of mechanism of injury (p=0.445). When all patients were examined in terms of N/L rates and presence of infection, there was no significant difference between Group 1 and Group 2 (p=0.976). CONCLUSION: Although N/L ratio of the blood in the pre-operative period has a predictive value for chronic diseases, we believe that it has no predictive value for detecting infection in patients with type 3 acute open tibia fractures.