Significance of the Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio, Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratio, and Preoperative Nutritional Index as Predictors of Morbidity in Patients Who Underwent Liver Resection for Alveolar Echinococcosis

Aim: We aimed to evaluate the significance of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and preoperative nutritional index (PNI) as predictors of morbidity in patients who underwent liver resection for alveolar echinococcosis. Material and methods: This single-center study was designed as a retrospective study after obtaining ethical committee approval. The files of patients hospitalized at Ataturk University Faculty of Medicine, Erzurum, Turkey, between 2010 and 2019 and who underwent resection or liver transplantation for liver alveolar cysts were reviewed. Demographic features, laboratory parameters (complete blood count and biochemical parameters), lesion localizations and characteristics, type of surgery, intraoperative and postoperative complications (morbidity), and mortality status were evaluated by scanning patients’ files. Preoperative blood samples were taken the day before the surgery, which is the period farthest from surgical stress, to have more accurate results. By contrast, postoperative blood samples were taken on the first postoperative day when surgical stress was the highest. The differences between the morbidity groups, including NLR, PLR, and PNI, were compared. Results: Of the 172 patients in the study, 96 (55.8%) were female. The mean age of all patients was 48.51±15.57 (18-90). Perioperative complications were seen in 30 (17.4%) patients, while the morbidity and mortality rates of the study were 28.5% and 19.2%, respectively. Age, gender of patients, and preoperative laboratory parameters, including NLR, PLR, and PNI, did not affect morbidity. However, the presence of perioperative vascular injury (P=0.040) and complications (P=0.047), low postoperative lymphocyte rates (P=0.038), and high postoperative NLR were associated with increased morbidity. In addition, the mortality rate was significantly increased in patients with morbidity (P<0.001). Conclusion: From the results of the present study, it was found that preoperative parameters did not affect morbidity, while increased postoperative NLR levels and decreased lymphocyte rates increased morbidity.