[Peripheral blood cell count and inflammation-based markers in chronic rhinosinusitis]

The aim of this study was to verify whether the following peripheral blood cell count and inflammation-based markers differ between various types of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS): neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), as well as erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C‑reactive protein (CRP) levels.

In all, 386 patients had complete peripheral blood count, ESR, CRP and nasal cytology. The severity of CRS symptoms was assessed using three-stage Lund-Mackay computed tomography (CT) scores. The participants were stratified based on the results of nasal cytology and by the presence of nasal polyps (NP). The inflammation-based markers were calculated by dividing the cell numbers of the different cell types by numbers of the other cell types.

Blood leukocyte and neutrophil counts were higher in neutrophilic CRS. Differences between patients with CRS with nasal polyps (NP) and CRS without NP were significant for blood leukocytes, neutrophils, monocytes, eosinophils, CRP, NLR and MLR values. In CRS with NP, peripheral blood leukocyte, neutrophil, monocyte and eosinophil counts, as well as CRP, NLR and MLR values were higher than in CRS without NP. Our results show that all individuals with CRS could benefit from the analysis of blood counts and inflammation-based markers at the beginning of their evaluation. High levels of inflammation-based markers might guide the clinician towards planning more radical CRS therapy and use of systemic anti-inflammatory medication.