Impact of enhanced recovery after surgery on postoperative neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio in patients with colorectal cancer

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the impact of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) on the postoperative neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in patients with colorectal cancer. METHODS: A total of 200 patients with colorectal cancer who underwent surgery between January 2015 and November 2018 were enrolled in the study. They were divided into a traditional treatment group (n=100) and an ERAS group (n=100). The traditional treatment group underwent radical laparoscopic colorectal surgery, and the ERAS group underwent traditional treatment plus the ERAS protocol (preoperative improvement of glucose tolerance, unconventional indwelling stomach and urinary tubes, intraoperative body temperature management, fluid management, postoperative pain management, early oral feeding, and early activities). Clinical data were collected for all patients. NLR levels before and after surgery, and complications were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: Postoperative NLR was significantly lower in the ERAS compared with the traditional treatment group. The incidence of complications, including anastomotic leakage, pulmonary infection, urinary tract infection, and cardiopulmonary dysfunction were also significantly lower in the ERAS group. CONCLUSION: Enhanced recovery after surgery can reduce the increase in postoperative NLR and reduce the occurrence of postoperative complications, which results will be of clinical value.