BACKGROUND: Locoregional surgical pathology, with surgical margins at the primary site and lymph node (LN) metastasis, particularly extranodal extension (ENE), plays an important role in the prognosis of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). In addition, systemic inflammatory response and nutritional status are associated with poor prognosis.
OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to comprehensively assess the effect of inflammatory markers and locoregional factors on the prognosis of patients with OSCC who underwent neck dissection (ND).
METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included patients who had undergone ND for OSCC between 2013 and 2021. The primary predictive variables were the weighted lymph node ratio (WLNR) and inflammatory markers. Primary outcome variables were overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS).
RESULTS: Among 153 patients (99 males, 54 females), 54 (35.3 %) had LN metastasis and 11 (7.2%) exhibited ENE. The inflammatory markers lymphocyte/monocyte ratio (LMR), monocyte/albumin ratio (MAR), C-reactive protein/albumin ratio (CAR), and WLNR demonstrated significant cut-off values for survival, with values of 4.805, 104.72, 0.041, and 0.0235, respectively. The Cox proportional hazards model revealed significant differences in age, WLNR, LMR, MAR, CAR, and vascular, lymphatic, and perineural invasion (Pn). Multivariate analysis indicated that the hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) for WLNR (3.416; 1.542-7.566), MAR (2.404; 1.254-4.607), and Pn (2.516; 1.291-4.905) were independent variables for OS.
CONCLUSIONS: In patients with OSCC who underwent ND, the inflammatory marker MAR and locoregional factors WLNR and Pn were simultaneously identified as prognostic factors.

UNASSIGNED: Maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients suffer from enormous physical, mental stress and poor quality of life, so an increasing number of patients are in a long-term state of depression. A prominent feature of MHD patients is chronic persistent inflammation, which is also an important mechanism for the onset of depression. Therefore, finding economically convenient inflammatory markers to predict and diagnose the onset of depression in MHD patients is of great value. As a novel inflammatory marker, systemic immune inflammation index (SII) can more comprehensively reflect the inflammation and immunity level of patients. This study aims to explore the relationship between SII and depressive symptoms in MHD patients.
UNASSIGNED: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 206 MHD patients from three dialysis centers. Based on the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) scores, patients were divided into non-depression and depression groups. Inter group comparison and multivariate logistic regression analysis were performed to determine whether SII is an independent risk factor for depression in MHD patients. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the predictive value of SII on depression symptoms in MHD patients.
UNASSIGNED: According to the HADS scale score, 38.83% of the included patients were in a state of depression. After adjusting for all confounding factors, MHD patients with SII>963.93 had a 4.709 times higher risk of depression than those with SII ≤ 478.32 (OR=4.709, 95% CI 1.821-12.178, P<0.01). ROC analysis showed that SII>685.11 was the best cutoff value for MHD depression patients, and the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.681.
UNASSIGNED: High SII is an independent risk factor for depressed MHD patients and an ideal inflammatory marker for predicting and identifying depression in MHD patients as assessed by the HADS scale.

BACKGROUND: Aronia melanocarpa is nowadays valued for its high content of biologically active substances, the main group of which are polyphenols, which include anthocyanins, flavonols, flavanols, proanthocyanidins and phenolic acids. From the available sources, we can conclude that extracts and juices from black chokeberry have a great potential in human nutrition and influence on their health.
OBJECTIVE: The research was to evaluate the effect of regular consumption of 100% organic chokeberry juice on selected anthropometric and lipid parameters of overweight or obese women.
METHODS: A clinical study consisted of 19 women with overweight and obesity, age from 44 to 63. The probands consumed 50 ml of chokeberry juice daily for 8 weeks as part of their regular diet. Body composition and biochemical indicators were monitored before consumption, after 4 and 8 weeks of nutritional intervention. Body composition was determined using multifrequency bioelectrical impedance analysis (MFBIA) - InBody 720. Biochemical analyzes of blood serum were performed using standard methods in an accredited laboratory using automatic biochemical analyzer a BioMajesty JCA-BM6010/C.
RESULTS: The monitored group of probands is characterized by menopausale and postmenopausale women, overweight or obese women with hypercholesterolemia without pharmacological treatment. Statistically significant differences (p<0.05) were observed when evaluating the amount of body fat (BFM) of the probands before the start of consumption and after the consumption of chokeberry juice. We noted a statistically significant reduction especially in the assessment of visceral fat (VFA) (p<0.001). There were no fundamentally significant changes in the lipid profile of women in this intervention study. With short-term consumption of chokeberry juice (after 4 weeks), we recorded an average reduction in total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol, but without statistical significant. We also focused on the evaluation of the inflammatory marker CRP and noted a significant beneficial reduction of CRP (p˂0.05).
CONCLUSIONS: In the research, we evaluated the effect of 8 weeks consumption of 100% chokeberry juice on selected anthropometric parameters, focusing on changes in visceral fat and total fat in overweight and obese women. In conclusion, we can state that the regular consumption of chokeberry juice has a beneficial effect on fat tissue in women of reproductive age, which can reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

The multifaceted role of NLR as a biomarker in corneal pathologies, aiming to enhance clinicians\' understanding for better patient outcomes is of interest. An extensive ophthalmic assessment was conducted. Patients with corneal pathologies were identified as cases and those with healthy cornea as controls. A complete WBC blood count was performed using Automated Flow Cytometric method and the counts of white blood cells, neutrophils, platelets, and lymphocytes where recorded. NLR, PLR, and MLR were calculated by dividing the Neutrophil/Platelet/Monocyte counts by the lymphocyte counts. The study revealed that the Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR), Monocyte-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (MLR), and Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (PLR) were significantly higher in the case group compared to the control group. N/L proved the best predictor among inflammatory markers, followed by M/L and P/L, highlighting the intricate immune response in corneal diseases, urging customized assessments in ocular health research.

BACKGROUND: A useful biomarker for the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) has not yet been established. This study aims to investigate whether inflammatory markers are associated with the efficacy of nivolumab plus ipilimumab therapy before and during treatment.
METHODS: Data from patients with advanced clear cell RCC who received a combination treatment of nivolumab plus ipilimumab were retrospectively analyzed. The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were assessed at baseline and 3, 6, and 9 weeks after treatment initiation. The correlation between these inflammatory markers and the patient\'s prognosis was investigated.
RESULTS: Eighty-four patients were identified. The multivariate analysis identified NLR at week 3, CRP at week 6, and NLR and CRP at week 9 as the consistent predictor associated with poor overall survival (OS) at each time point. The survival analysis and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis revealed that an NLR of ≥ 2.4 at week 3, CRP of ≥ 1.4 mg/dL at week 6, and NLR of ≥ 4.8 and CRP of ≥ 1.0 mg/dL at week 9 were associated with worse OS (hazard ratios (HR) = 5.70, P = 0.008, HR = 3.23, P = 0.004, HR = 7.38, P < 0.001 and HR = 3.55, P = 0.002).
CONCLUSIONS: Both NLR and CRP were considered useful biomarkers for understanding the prognosis during nivolumab plus ipilimumab therapy. Furthermore, an NLR of ≥ 4.8 and CRP of ≥ 1.0 mg/dL at week 9 are helpful in reconsidering treatment continuation.

OBJECTIVE: We investigated the characteristics of infection and the utility of inflammatory markers in diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) and hyperosmolar hyperglycemic syndrome (HHS).
METHODS: A multicenter, retrospective observational study in 21 acute-care hospitals was conducted in Japan. This study included adult hospitalized patients with DKA and HHS. We analyzed the diagnostic accuracy of markers including C-reactive protein (CRP) and procalcitonin (PCT) for bacteremia. Multiple regression models were created for estimating bacteremia risk factors.
RESULTS: A total of 771 patients, including 545 patients with DKA and 226 patients with HHS, were analyzed. The mean age was 58.2 (SD, 19.3) years. Of these, 70 tested positive for blood culture. The mortality rates of those with and without bacteremia were 14 % and 3.3 % (P-value < 0.001). The area under the curve (AUC) of CRP and PCT for diagnosis of bacteremia was 0.85 (95 %CI, 0.81-0.89) and 0.76 (95 %CI, 0.60-0.92), respectively. Logistic regression models identified older age, altered level of consciousness, hypotension, and higher CRP as risk factors for bacteremia.
CONCLUSIONS: The mortality rate was higher in patients with bacteremia than patients without it. CRP, rather than PCT, may be valid for diagnosing bacteremia in hyperglycemic emergencies.
BACKGROUND: This study is registered in the UMIN clinical trial registration system (UMIN000025393, Registered December 23, 2016).

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to develop a diagnostic model for predicting early surgical site infection (SSI) based on postoperative inflammatory markers after spinal fusion surgery.
METHODS: In this retrospective study, we analysed the trends of inflammatory markers between SSI and non-SSI groups. The data were randomly divided into training cohort and validation cohort (ratio 7:3). The variables for SSI were analysed using stepwise logistic regression to develop the prediction model. To evaluate the model, we analysed its sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, as well as the area under the curve in the validation cohort. Calibration plots and decision curve analysis were employed to assess the calibration and clinical usefulness of the model.
RESULTS: We observed significant changes in inflammatory markers on the seventh day after surgery. The prediction model included four variables on the seventh day after surgery: body temperature, C-reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate and neutrophil counts. After binary processing of these data, the simplified model achieved an area under the curve of 0.86 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.81-0.92) in the training cohort and 0.9 (95% CI: 0.82-0.98) in the validation cohort. Calibration plots and decision curve analysis demonstrated that the proposed model was effective for the diagnosis of SSI.
CONCLUSIONS: We developed and validated a prediction model for diagnosing early infection after spinal fusion.

Sclerosing osteomyelitis of Garré is a rare inflammatory pathology characterized by cortical thickening and loss of the medullary canal. Typically, this pathology affects the mandible. However, the involvement of long bones, such as the femur and tibia, is also possible. This condition predominantly affects children and young adults, especially females, and commonly emerges before age 25, with an average onset age of 16 years. The disease is characterized by an insidious onset, causing local pain, distention of the affected bone, and a moderately increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate. We aim to report a unique case involving a 25-year-old Hispanic male presenting with a one-year insidious onset of left anterior lower leg pain. The patient\'s clinical course, laboratory findings, and imaging results are discussed. Despite a three-month trial of conservative management, symptomatic relief was elusive, prompting a left tibia core biopsy. Biopsy results revealed an inflammatory-reactive process with a xanthogranulomatous reaction. The continuation of conservative measures post-biopsy led to significant symptom resolution, highlighting the potential efficacy of histopathological examination. This case contributes to the limited literature on adult sclerosing osteomyelitis of Garré, particularly in long bones and among Hispanic individuals. Successful management through biopsy and conservative treatment provides valuable insights into therapeutic options for this rare condition.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative central diabetes insipidus (CDI) is commonly observed in craniopharyngioma (CP) patients, and the inflammatory response plays an important role in CPs. We aimed to evaluate the predictive value of preoperative peripheral inflammatory markers and their combinations regarding CDI occurrence in CPs.
METHODS: The clinical data including preoperative peripheral inflammatory markers of 208 CP patients who underwent surgical treatment were retrospectively collected and analyzed. The preoperative peripheral white blood cells (WBC), neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, platelet (PLT), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), derived-NLR (dNLR), monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR) and PLT-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) were assessed in total 208 CP patients and different age and surgical approach CP patient subgroups. Their predictive values were evaluated by the receiver operator characteristic curve analysis.
RESULTS: Preoperative peripheral WBC, neutrophils, NLR, dNLR, MLR, and PLR were positively correlated and lymphocyte was negatively associated with postoperative CDI occurrence in CP patients, especially when WBC ≥ 6.66 × 109/L or lymphocyte ≤ 1.86 × 109/L. Meanwhile, multiple logistic regression analysis showed that WBC > 6.39 × 109/L in the > 18 yrs age patients, WBC > 6.88 × 109/L or lymphocytes ≤ 1.85 × 109/L in the transcranial approach patients were closely associated with the elevated incidence of postoperative CDI. Furthermore, the area under the curve obtained from the receiver operator characteristic curve analysis showed that the best predictors of inflammatory markers were the NLR in total CP patients, the MLR in the ≤ 18 yrs age group and the transsphenoidal group, the NLR in the > 18 yrs age group and the dNLR in the transcranial group. Notably, the combination index NLR + dNLR demonstrated the most valuable predictor in all groups.
CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative peripheral inflammatory markers, especially WBC, lymphocytes and NLR + dNLR, are promising predictors of postoperative CDI in CPs.

OBJECTIVE: Early diagnosis of surgical site infections (SSIs) could prevent surgical revision. Inflammatory markers (IMs), such as procalcitonin (PCT), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), seem more accurate in diagnosing SSI than C-reactive protein (CRP) and white blood cell (WBC) count. The aim was to compare the predictive values of CRP, WBC count, PCT, IL-6, and TNF-α in SSI detection.
METHODS: A total of 130 patients undergoing dorsal spondylodesis from 2019 to 2024 were enrolled in a prospective diagnostic study at a maximum care spine center. IMs were measured preoperatively and on the postoperative days (PODs) 1, 2, 3, 5, and 7. Patients with high suspicion of SSI underwent revision surgery. SSI was diagnosed when the microbiological evidence was positive. Patients were divided a posteriori into the non-infection and infection groups.
RESULTS: IMs of 118 patients (66.9 ± 13.0 years, 61.0% females) were measured. Fifteen of the 118 patients (12.7%) developed an SSI. The groups differed with respect to existing hypertension, number of instrumented segments, region of surgery, CRPPOD1,7, PCTPOD7, and IL-6POD3,5,7. Binary logistic regression for SSI detection including these parameters showed an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.88 (95% CI 0.79-0.98; P < 0.001). The main effect for SSI detection was maintained by IL-6POD7 (odds ratio = 1.13; 95% CI 1.05-1.23; P = 0.001), which itself showed an AUC of 0.86 (95% CI 0.75-0.97).
CONCLUSIONS: Compared to CRP, WBC count, PCT, and TNF-α, IL-6 seems to be the critical IM for the early detection of an SSI.
BACKGROUND: drks.de: DRKS00033773, date of registration: 29.02.2024, retrospectively registered; Postoperative Markers of Inflammation in Spine Surgery (POMIS) Trial.