The Value of Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratio as a Prognostic Marker in Cholangiocarcinoma: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Decrease in platelet count in patients with AKI and its association with major adverse kidney events

INTRODUCTION

A reduction in platelet count in critically ill patients is a marker of severity of the clinical condition. However, whether this association holds true in acute kidney injury (AKI) is unknown. We analyzed the association between platelet reduction in patients with AKI and major adverse kidney events (MAKE).

METHODS

In this retrospective cohort, we included AKI patients at the Hospital Civil of Guadalajara, in Jalisco, Mexico. Patients were divided according to whether their platelet count fell >21% during the first 10 days. Our objectives were to analyze the associations between a platelet reduction >21% and MAKE at 10 days (MAKE10) or at 30-90 days (MAKE30-90) and death.

RESULTS

From 2017 to 2023, 400 AKI patients were included, 134 of whom had a > 21% reduction in platelet count. The mean age was 54 years, 60% were male, and 44% had sepsis. The mean baseline platelet count was 194 x 103 cells/µL, and 65% of the KDIGO3 patients met these criteria. Those who underwent hemodialysis (HD) had lower platelet counts. After multiple adjustments, a platelet reduction >21% was associated with MAKE10 (OR 4.2, CI 2.1-8.5) but not with MAKE30-90. The mortality risk increased 3-fold (OR 2.9, CI 1.1-7.7, p = 0.02) with a greater decrease in the platelets (<90 x 103 cells/µL). As the platelets decreased, the incidence of MAKE was more likely to increase. These associations lost significance when accounting for starting HD.

CONCLUSION

In our retrospective cohort of patients with AKI, a > 21% reduction in platelet count was associated with MAKE. Our results are useful for generating hypotheses and motivating us to continue studying this association with a more robust design.

Prognostic Significance of the Bone Marrow-to-Aorta Uptake Ratio on 2-Deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro-d-glucose Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography in Patients with Cholangiocarcinoma

2-Deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro-d-glucose (FDG) uptake of the reticuloendothelial system on positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) is known to be related to systemic inflammatory response to cancer cells in patients with diverse malignancies. This retrospective study aimed to investigate whether FDG uptake by the reticuloendothelial system had a prognostic value in predicting progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in 138 cholangiocarcinoma patients. Quantifying FDG uptake of the aorta, bone marrow (BM), liver, and spleen from staging FDG PET/CT images, we found significant correlations between the BM-to-aorta uptake ratio (BAR), spleen-to-aorta uptake ratio, and BM-to-liver uptake ratio with tumor stage and serum inflammatory markers. In the multivariate survival analysis, BAR was an independent predictor of PFS (p = 0.016; hazard ratio, 2.308) and OS (p = 0.030; hazard ratio, 2.645). Patients with stages III-IV of the disease and a high BAR exhibited low 1-year PFS (35.8%) and OS (60.2%) rates, while those with stages I-II of the disease and low BAR showed robust rates of 90.0% and 96.7%, respectively. BAR measured on staging FDG PET/CT might be a potential imaging biomarker offering insights into the systemic inflammatory response and predicting prognosis in cholangiocarcinoma. This study highlights BAR as a promising, independent predictor with potential for personalized prognostication and treatment strategies.

Association between multiple inflammatory biomarkers and remnant cholesterol levels in patients with percutaneous coronary intervention: A large-scale real-world study

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Remnant cholesterol (RC) has garnered increasing attention recently due to its association with adverse cardiovascular events. However, the relationship between RC levels and inflammation remains unclear. The goal of this study was to investigate and compare the predictive value of multiple inflammatory biomarkers for high RC in patients with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

METHODS AND RESULTS

Initially, a total of 10,724 consecutive individuals hospitalized for PCI at Fu Wai Hospital in 2013 were enrolled. Finally, 9983 patients receiving dual antiplatelet therapy and drug-eluting stent were selected for analysis. The inflammatory biomarkers included high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), hs-CRP-to-albumin ratio (CAR), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR), lymphocyte-to-hs-CRP ratio (LCR), and systemic immune-inflammation index (SII). Patients were divided into higher RC and lower RC groups based on the median RC level. Multivariate logistic regression showed that hs-CRP (OR per SD: 1.254), CAR (OR per SD: 1.245), PLR (OR per SD: 1.139), and SII (OR per SD: 1.077) were associated with high RC (≥median), while LCR (OR per SD: 0.792) was associated with low RC (

CONCLUSIONS

In PCI patients, hs-CRP, CAR, PLR, LCR, and SII were independently associated with RC levels. Among these inflammatory biomarkers, hs-CRP conferred better prediction for high RC. This investigation further supports the close relationship between inflammation and residual lipid risk biomarker RC.

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Key Words

• Inflammation
• Percutaneous coronary intervention
• Remnant cholesterol
• hs-CRP

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MESH Headings

• Humans
• C-Reactive Protein/analysis
• Percutaneous Coronary Intervention/adverse effects
• Drug-Eluting Stents
• Biomarkers
• Inflammation/diagnosis
• Inflammation/etiology

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Affiliation(s)

Jiawen Li Department of Cardiology, National Clinical Research Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Fu Wai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, No. 167 Beilishi Road, Xicheng District, Beijing 100037, China
Kailun Yan Department of Cardiology, National Clinical Research Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Fu Wai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, No. 167 Beilishi Road, Xicheng District, Beijing 100037, China
Pei Zhu Department of Cardiology, National Clinical Research Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Fu Wai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, No. 167 Beilishi Road, Xicheng District, Beijing 100037, China
Jingjing Xu Department of Cardiology, National Clinical Research Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Fu Wai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, No. 167 Beilishi Road, Xicheng District, Beijing 100037, China
Xiaofang Tang Department of Cardiology, National Clinical Research Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Fu Wai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, No. 167 Beilishi Road, Xicheng District, Beijing 100037, China
Yulong Li Department of Cardiology, National Clinical Research Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Fu Wai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, No. 167 Beilishi Road, Xicheng District, Beijing 100037, China
Weixian Yang Department of Cardiology, National Clinical Research Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Fu Wai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, No. 167 Beilishi Road, Xicheng District, Beijing 100037, China
Shubin Qiao Department of Cardiology, National Clinical Research Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Fu Wai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, No. 167 Beilishi Road, Xicheng District, Beijing 100037, China
Yuejin Yang Department of Cardiology, National Clinical Research Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Fu Wai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, No. 167 Beilishi Road, Xicheng District, Beijing 100037, China
Runlin Gao Department of Cardiology, National Clinical Research Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Fu Wai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, No. 167 Beilishi Road, Xicheng District, Beijing 100037, China
Jinqing Yuan Department of Cardiology, National Clinical Research Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Fu Wai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, No. 167 Beilishi Road, Xicheng District, Beijing 100037, China.
Xueyan Zhao Department of Cardiology, National Clinical Research Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Fu Wai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, No. 167 Beilishi Road, Xicheng District, Beijing 100037, China.

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Predictive value of hematological parameters in cirrhotic patients with open umbilical hernia repair

PURPOSE

Patients with liver cirrhosis sometimes suffer from high recurrence rates and postoperative complications. We previously reported that platelet-related hematological parameters are associated with the outcomes after incisional herniorrhaphy, and aim to evaluate the predictive value of these criteria in cirrhotic patients undergoing open umbilical herniorrhaphy.

METHODS

This is a retrospective study. The data of 95 cirrhotic patients undergoing open umbilical herniorrhaphy were analyzed. Patients were grouped based on the recurrence and defined hematological values. Platelet-multiple-lymphocyte index (PLM), neutrophil-leukocyte ratio, lymphocyte-monocyte ratio, platelet-neutrophil ratio, systemic immune-inflammation index, and aspartate aminotransferase-leukocyte ratio values were calculated based on preoperative blood analyses. The outcomes were obtained from hospital records and follow-up calls to patients.

RESULTS

Using cutoff values acquired by the Youden Index, we found a PLM value < 27.9, and the history of inguinal herniorrhaphy were revealed to be statistically significant in the recurrence based on univariant and multivariant analyses (p < 0.05). We further divided patients into two groups based on the cutoff value of PLM and found that a PLM value < 27.9 was significantly associated with the recurrence of incisional hernias (p = 0.018) and the occurrence of postoperative foreign sensation (p = 0.044), and tended to result in other postoperative complications such as cardiopathy, respiratory infection, hypoproteinemia, and hepatic diseases (p = 0.089).

CONCLUSION

The preoperative hematological values, especially PLM, may indicate the outcomes in cirrhotic patients after open umbilical herniorrhaphy. Accurate identification of risks may alert the intraoperative and postoperative care for patients.

Neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio and platelet-lymphocyte ratio as potential predictive markers of treatment response in cancer patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

The role of platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) as independent prognostic markers in different tumors is well established. However, there is a limited review of the potential of NLR and PLR as predictors of treatment outcomes from immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs).

Objective

To establish a correlation between NLR and PLR and the potential of clinical benefit from ICIs.

Methods

The literature search was performed for studies that reported the association between NLR, PLR, and treatment outcomes among cancer patients treated with ICIs. The outcomes of interest were objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), and progressive disease (PD). ORR was the summation of patients who achieved complete response and partial response. DCR included patients who achieved stable disease. PD was the proportion of patients who progressed, relapsed, or discontinued the treatment. Statistical analysis was performed using the STATA 12.0 package. Heterogeneity was determined by the I2 value. Quality assessment was performed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Egger's test was used to establish publication bias and sensitivity analysis.

Results

A total of 40 papers that met the inclusion criteria were included in the systematic review. However, only 17 studies were used in the meta-analysis to determine the correlation between NLR, PLR, and treatment response. We found that treatment with ICIs and monitoring of outcomes and adverse events using PLR and NLR parameters have been studied in different tumors. Our analysis showed that low NLR correlated with higher ORR (OR = 0.62 (95% CI 0.47-0.81, p = 0.001) and higher DCR (OR = 0.23, 95% CI 0.14-0.36, p < 0.001). Higher NLR predicted a higher probability of PD (OR = 3.12, 95% CI 1.44, 6.77, p = 0.004). Similarly, low PLR correlated with higher ORR (OR = 0.69, 95% CI 0.5, 0.95, p = 0.025). Generally, patients with low NLR and PLR were more likely to achieve clinical benefit and better response (p-value < 0.001). Meanwhile, patients with high ratios were more likely to progress (p-value < 0.005), although there was significant heterogeneity among studies. There was no significant publication bias observed.

Conclusion

The study showed that high NLR and PLR either at baseline or during treatment is associated with poorer treatment outcome. Therefore, these ratios can be utilized in clinical practice with other markers to determine treatment efficacy from immunotherapy.

Association between neutrophil-to-albumin ratio and long-term mortality of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage

OBJECTIVE

The prognosis of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) survivors is concerning. The goal of this study was to investigate and demonstrate the relationship between the neutrophil-to-albumin ratio (NAR) and long-term mortality of aSAH survivors.

METHODS

A retrospective observational cohort study was conducted at Sichuan University West China Hospital between January 2009 and June 2019. The investigation of relationship between NAR and long-term mortality was conducted using univariable and multivariable Cox regression models. To demonstrate the predictive performance of different biomarkers over time, time-dependent receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis and decision curve analysis (DCA) were created.

RESULTS

In total, 3173 aSAH patients were included in this study. There was a strong and continuous relationship between NAR levels and long-term mortality (HR 3.23 95% CI 2.75-3.79, p < 0.001). After adjustment, the result was still significant (adjusted HR 1.78 95% CI 1.49-2.12). Compared with patients with the lowest quartile (< 0.15) of NAR levels, the risk of long-term mortality in the other groups was higher (0.15-0.20: adjusted HR 1.30 95% CI 0.97-1.73; 0.20-0.28: adjusted HR 1.37 95% CI 1.03-1.82; >0.28: adjusted HR 1.74 95% CI 1.30-2.32). Results in survivors were found to be still robust. Moreover, out of all the inflammatory markers studied, NAR demonstrated the highest correlation with long-term mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

A high level of NAR was associated with increased long-term mortality among patients with aSAH. NAR was a promising inflammatory marker for long-term mortality of aSAH.

Integrating Baseline Nutritional and Inflammatory Parameters with Post-Treatment EBV DNA Level to Predict Outcomes of Patients with De Novo Metastatic Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Receiving Chemotherapy Combination PD-1 Inhibitor

OBJECTIVES

To develop and validate a prognostic nomogram based on baseline nutritional and inflammatory parameters for risk stratification in patients with de novo metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma (dmNPC) receiving chemotherapy combination programmed death-1 (PD-1) inhibitor.

METHODS

This retrospective study analyzed 131 patients with dmNPC (88 and 43 in the training and validation cohorts, respectively) between March 2017 and November 2020. All these patients received chemotherapy combined with PD-1 inhibitor treatment. We identified independent risk factors using univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses and established a nomogram to predict the progression-free survival (PFS). The predictive accuracy of the nomogram was evaluated and independently validated.

RESULTS

Baseline nutritional risk index (NRI), prognostic nutritional index (PNI), systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), uric acid (UA), and post-treatment Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA were used to develop a nomogram that could divide patients into favorable- and unfavorable-prognosis groups. The median PFS (mPFS) was significantly longer in the favorable-prognosis group compared to the unfavorable-prognosis group (35.10 months [95% CI: 27.36-42.84] vs. 7.23 months [95% CI: 6.50-7.97]; p = 0.001). All results were confirmed in the validation cohort.

CONCLUSIONS

The proposed model improved the prognostic risk stratification for patients with dmNPC undergoing chemotherapy combined with PD-1 inhibitor treatment.

Systemic Immune-Inflammation Index and Mortality in Testicular Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

The systemic immune-inflammation index (SIII) is a marker studied in multiple types of urologic cancer. This systematic review evaluates the association between SIII values with overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) in testicular cancer. We searched observational studies in five databases. The quantitative synthesis was performed using a random-effects model. The risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS). The only measure of the effect was the hazard ratio (HR). A sensitivity analysis was performed according to the risk of bias in the studies. There were 833 participants in a total of 6 cohorts. We found that high SIII values were associated with worse OS (HR = 3.28; 95% CI 1.3-8.9; p < 0.001; I² = 78) and PFS (HR = 3.9; 95% CI 2.53-6.02; p < 0.001; I² = 0). No indication of small study effects was found in the association between SIII values and OS (p = 0.5301). High SIII values were associated with worse OS and PFS. However, further primary studies are suggested to enhance the effect of this marker in different outcomes of testicular cancer patients.

Platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio and the first occurrence of peritonitis in peritoneal dialysis patients

BACKGROUND

Platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) has been used as a potential biomarker of inflammation-related diseases, but its role in the peritoneal dialysis-related peritonitis (PDRP) is still uncertain. This study was aimed to investigate the association between PLR and the new-onset PDRP in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients.

METHODS

In this multicenter retrospective study, 1378 PD Chinese PD patients were recruited from four centers, who were divided into the high PLR group (HPG) and the low PLR group (LPG) according to the cutoff value of PLR. The correlation between PLR and the new-onset PDRP was assessed using the Cox regression model analysis.

RESULTS

During follow-up, 121 new-onset PDRP events were recorded. Kaplan-Meier survival curve showed a higher risk of new-onset PDRP in the HPG (log-rank test, P < 0.001). After adjusting for confounding factors, the Cox regression model showed the risk of new-onset PDRP was higher in the HPG than that in the LPG (HR 1.689, 95%CI 1.096-2.602, P = 0.017). Competitive risk model analysis showed that significant differences still existed between the two PLR groups in the presence of other competitive events (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

PLR is independently associated with the new-onset PDRP in PD patients.

Predictive value of platelet-related hematological markers in indicating the outcomes after laparoscopic intraperitoneal onlay mesh repair (IPOM)

BACKGROUND

The predictive value of hematological markers in the outcomes after laparoscopic intraperitoneal onlay mesh repair (IPOM) remains to be investigated. We aim to evaluate the role of platelet-related parameters after laparoscopic IPOM in patients with incisional hernias.

METHODS

The data of 95 patients who underwent laparoscopic IPOM for appendicectomy-related incisional hernias were retrospectively analyzed. The complete blood count analyses were measured preoperatively, and the outcomes were obtained from hospital records and follow-up calls to patients. Platelet-multiple-lymphocyte index (PLM), neutrophil-leukocyte ratio (NLR), lymphocyte-monocyte ratio (LMR), platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) values were calculated. The patients were grouped based on the recurrence and the postoperative complications after surgery.

RESULTS

Using cutoff values acquired by the Youden Index, we found platelet levels < 212.0 × 1000/μl, NLR > 2.33, LMR < 3.17, and PLM < 365.5 were revealed to be statistically significant in the recurrence of hernias based on univariant or multivariant analysis (p =  < 0.05). We further divided the patients into two groups based on the cutoff value of PLM and found that a PLM value < 365.5 was significantly associated with the recurrence of incisional hernia (p = 0.018), the occurrence of postoperative seroma (p = 0.044), and there is a tendency that patients with PLM < 365.5 may suffer from other postoperative complications such as cardiopathy, respiratory infection, and hypoproteinemia (p = 0.089).

CONCLUSION

The preoperative hematological values, especially PLM, may indicate the outcomes in incisional hernias after laparoscopic IPOM.

OCT-Based Biomarkers are Associated with Systemic Inflammation in Patients with Treatment-Naïve Diabetic Macular Edema

INTRODUCTION

Diabetic macular edema (DME) is one of the major sight-threatening complications of diabetic retinopathy, which is associated with retinal inflammation. However, it is still unknown whether DME is associated with systemic inflammation. The study aimed to investigate the association between systemic inflammatory and optical coherence tomography (OCT) biomarkers in patients with treatment-naïve center-involving diabetic macular edema (DME) and to further explore the role of systemic inflammation in DME.

METHODS

Medical records including clinical characteristics and ophthalmic examinations were collected from patients with treatment-naïve center-involving DME. Systemic inflammation markers including systemic immune-inflammatory index (SII), neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) were calculated. OCT biomarkers, including intraretinal cyst (IRC) size, disorganization of retinal inner layers (DRIL), external limiting membrane (ELM)/ellipsoid zone (EZ) integrity, retinal hyperreflective foci (HRF), subretinal fluid (SRF) and vitreomacular (VM) status were evaluated manually. Correlation analysis and multivariable linear regression models were used to investigate the relationship between systemic inflammatory markers and OCT biomarkers.

RESULTS

A total of 82 patients with treatment-naïve center-involving DME were included. The number of HRF on OCT was correlated with SII, NLR, and PLR and positively associated with SII (p < 0.001) in both univariate and multivariate linear regression analyses. The differences remained largely the same during subgroup analysis controlling DM duration, SRF, and ELM/EZ integrity. No significant association was observed between other OCT biomarkers and blood inflammatory markers.

CONCLUSION

Retinal HRF in diabetic macular edema is associated with blood inflammatory markers, which supports the theory of HRF's inflammatory nature and emphasizes the important role of inflammation in DME. SII may be a potential marker for DME treatment decisions.

Elevated levels of monocyte-lymphocyte ratio and platelet-lymphocyte ratio in adolescents with non-suicidal self-injury

BACKGROUND

Neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), monocyte-lymphocyte ratio (MLR), and platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) are blood indicators of systemic inflammation. This study aims to compare the levels of inflammatory indicators derived from blood routine tests between adolescents with non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) and those with non-NSSI.

METHODS

A total of 201 adolescents with mood or emotional disorders were enrolled in this study, among which 106 had engaged in NSSI and 95 had never engaged in NSSI. NLR, MLR, and PLR were calculated based on the complete blood cell count.

RESULTS

There was no significant difference in demographic data between the two groups. The NSSI group exhibited significantly higher MLR (P = 0.001) and PLR (P = 0.007) than the non-NSSI group. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that MLR (OR 1.545, 95%CI [1.087-2.281], P = 0.021) and PLR (OR 1.327, 95%CI [1.215-1.450], P < 0.001) were independently associated with NSSI. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses demonstrated that for differentiating NSSI from non-NSSI, the optimal cut-off value of MLR was 0.135 and the area under curve was 0.638 ([0.561- 0.715], P < 0.001), with a sensitivity of 90.60% and a specificity of 33.70%; the optimal cut-off value of PLR was 127.505 and the area under curve was of 0.611 ([0.533-0.689], P < 0.001), with a sensitivity of 39.60% and a specificity of 81.10%.

CONCLUSIONS

Systemic inflammation, as indicated by elevated MLR and PLR, was found to be strongly associated with NSSI among adolescents.

The prognostic value of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in cholangiocarcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis

The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is used as biomarker in malignant diseases showing significant association with poor oncological outcomes. The main research question of the present study was whether NLR has also prognostic value in cholangiocarcinoma patients (CCA). A systematic review was carried out to identify studies related to NLR and clinical outcomes in CCA evaluating the literature from 01/2000 to 09/2021. A random-effects model, pooled hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were used to investigate the statistical association between NLR and overall survival (OS) as well as disease-free survival (DFS). Subgroup analyses, evaluation of sensitivity and risk of bias were further carried out. 32 studies comprising 8572 patients were eligible for this systematic review and meta-analysis. The pooled outcomes revealed that high NLR prior to treatment is prognostic for poor OS (HR 1.28, 95% CI 1.18–1.38, p < 0.01) and DFS (HR 1.39, 95% CI 1.17–1.66, p < 0.01) with meaningful HR values. Subgroup analysis revealed that this association is not significantly affected by the treatment modality (surgical vs. non-surgical), NLR cut-off values, age and sample size of the included studies. Given the likelihood of NLR to be prognostic for reduced OS and DFS, pre-treatment NLR might serve as a useful biomarker for poor prognosis in patients with CCA and therefore facilitate clinical management.

Prognostic Significance of the Systemic Immune-Inflammation Index in Patients With Cholangiocarcinoma: A Meta-Analysis

Background

The systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) is a significant prognostic factor for neoplastic diseases. However, the prognostic value of SII in patients with cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) remains unclear. This meta-analysis aimed to investigate the prognostic value of preoperative SII in patients with CCA.

Method

We systematically searched for relevant studies in PubMed, Scopus, EMBASE, Web of Science, PROSPERO, and Cochrane Library databases up to March 22, 2022. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to estimate the association between SII and survival outcomes, including overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival.

Results

Five studies with 1402 patients were included in this meta-analysis to determine the prognostic value of preoperative SII. The results showed that a higher SII was associated with poor OS in patients with CCA who underwent invasive surgery (HR=1.916; 95% CI, 1.566–2.343; Z=6.329; P<0.001). The results were reliable in the subgroup analysis according to country, age, sample size, SII cutoff values, and treatment methods.

Conclusions

A high preoperative SII appears to be an effective and practical method for monitoring survival in patients with CCA.

Systematic Review Registration

International Platform of Registered Systematic. Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols (INPLASY), identifier INPLASY202240015.

Prognostic Value of Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratio in Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer Patients: Intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guerin Treatment After Transurethral Resection of Bladder Tumor

The objective of this study was to investigate the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) in patients who underwent intravesical treatment for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). A total of 197 patients who underwent intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guerin treatment after transurethral resection of bladder (TURB) were included. We divided the patients into different groups according to the treatment stage before and during induction treatment as Group 1 and Group 2, and set the change value of PLR as the Group 3. The cutoff values of PLR were determined through receiver operation characteristics curves analysis. we found a significant difference in recurrence-free survival (RFS) and progression-free survival (PFS) between patients with high serum PLR and those with low serum PLR in Group 1, as well as Group 2. Cox multivariate analysis revealed that tumor number ≥3, high grade, and history of carcinoma in situ (CIS) were significant factors predicting RFS and PFS. The PLR values before and during induction therapy could be used as predictors for the progression and recurrence of NMIBC patients receiving BCG immunotherapy. the PLR values after induction therapy have a stronger predictive power.

Nomogram Based on Inflammatory Biomarkers and Nutritional Indicators for Predicting Overall Survival in Locoregionally Advanced Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

Purpose

To establish and validate a nomogram to predict overall survival in locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (LA-NPC) based on inflammatory biomarkers and nutritional indicators.

Patients and Methods

A total of 1304 patients who underwent concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) with or without induction chemotherapy (IC) or adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) were included in the study. The prognosis factors of overall survival (OS) were selected by Cox regression analysis to establish the nomogram. Concordance index (C-index), calibration curves, decision curve analysis (DCA) and Kaplan-Meier curves were used to evaluate the nomogram.

Results

Using multivariate Cox analysis of clinically important variables, the following variables were incorporated in the prediction of OS: age, gender, T stage, N stage, pre-treatment plasma Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR), lactic dehydrogenase-to-albumin ratio (LAR) and prognostic nutritional index (PNI). The discriminative ability, clinical usefulness and calibration of the nomogram revealed good predictive ability as indicated by the C-index (0.717 in nomogram and 0.602 in the 8th AJCC staging system), decision curves, calibration curves and K-M curves.

Conclusion

Inflammatory biomarkers and nutritional indicators of survival for LA-NPC were selected to create a nomogram predicting OS. The proposed nomogram resulted in more accurate prognostic prediction than 8th AJCC staging system.

Prognostic significance of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase to albumin ratio in patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma after hepatectomy

Inflammation has been reported to play an important role in tumour progression and prognosis. In this study, we evaluated the prognostic significance of γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) to albumin ratio (GAR) in patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) after hepatectomy. We retrospectively analysed 650 ICC patients underwent hepatectomy at three Chinese medical centres between January 2009 and September 2017. Patients were classified into derivation cohort (n = 509) and validation cohort (n = 141). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to determine the optimal cut-off value for GAR. Survival curve and cox regression analysis were applied to assess the prognostic power of GAR. The prognostic accuracy of GAR was compared with other variables by ROC curve. The optimal cut-off value for GAR was 1.3655. Preoperative high GAR was closely related to tumour number, lymph node invasion and GGT. The survival curve of derivation and validation cohorts showed that patients in the high GAR group had significantly shorter overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) than patients in the low GAR group. Multivariate analysis in the derivation cohort confirmed that GAR was an independent prognostic factor for survival outcomes. Moreover, the ROC curve revealed that GAR had better predictive accuracy than other variables. High GAR predicted poor OS and DFS in ICC patients after hepatectomy. GAR may be a novel, simple and effective prognostic marker for ICC patients.