PROGNOSTIC FACTORS IN DEEP NECK INFECTION

Abstract

Objective: The present study aimed to evaluate the prognostic importance of hematologic test findings in addition to the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio, monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio, systemic inflammation response index, and C-reactive protein in the patients with deep neck infection and to compare these results with healthy subjects.Material and Methods: The study included 32 patients diagnosed as deep neck infection and treated by surgical intervention and parenteral antibiotics. As none of the patients had life-threatening complications, the prognosis was determined by the length of stay in the hospital. The effect of age, sex, pre-treatment blood parameters, abscess culture results, and medical comorbidities on prognosis were analysed. Pre- and post-treatment blood parameters were compared in each patient. Blood parameters were also compared between healthy subjects and patients.Results: When comparing patients with length of stay in the hospital ≤7 days and >7 days, significant differences were observed for age (t=-2.568, p=0.015) and red blood cell distribution width values obtained preoperatively (Z=-2.343, p=0.019). The correlation analysis revealed a positive correlation between age and length of stay in the hospital. (r=0.450, p=0.010), and between length of stay in the hospital and comorbidity (r=0.366, p=0.039). Logistic Regression analysis revealed that age could be the best marker in the prediction of the patients with worse prognosis (percentage of predicting patients with worse prognosis=73.3%, B=0.054, Wald=4.967, p=0.026).Conclusion: The present study confirmed that the prognosis was worse in older patients and patients with comorbid disease whereas no relation was observed between the inflammatory markers and prognosis.