AI Summary & Key Takeaways
AI InsightHowever, further studies should be performed to confirm the utility of the NLR value in clinical practice.
📌 3 Key Takeaways
Abstract
Introduction: Diverticular disease is defined as the presence of an asymptomatic diverticulum in the colon, and an infected diverticulum is called diverticulitis. Among patients with diverticular disease, 10-25% experience diverticulitis at some stage in their lives. This study aimed to evaluate the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) determined by dividing the neutrophil value by the lymphocyte value by comparing the stages of the patients according to the Hinchey classification who presented to the emergency department and were diagnosed with acute diverticulitis and to make a decision whether the patient should be treated by hospitalization or in the outpatient clinic. Methods: Patients who were admitted to the İstanbul Training and Research Hospital, between 2015 and 2019 and were diagnosed with acute diverticulitis by abdominal computed tomography were included in the study. Patients aged ≤18 years, pregnant patients, and patients with Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, colorectal, and/or anal cancer were excluded from the study. Results: Age, white blood cell count, hemoglobin, hematocrit, platelet, monocyte, granulocyte, neutrophil, NLR, C-reactive protein, and procalcitonin values were compared according to their stage. The neutrophil and NLR values were lower in patients with stage 1 than in those with stages 3 and 4. Moreover, the neutrophil and NLR values were lower in stage 2 than in stage 3. Conclusion: In our study, patients with acute diverticulum with higher NLR levels are more likely to develop complications. The combined use of NLR with physical examination, imaging, and other laboratory tests facilitates the diagnosis of complicated acute diverticulitis. However, further studies should be performed to confirm the utility of the NLR value in clinical practice.