Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio as a Biomarker for Postoperative Complications in Crohn's Disease

Despite advances in diagnosis and pharmacotherapy, surgery remains crucial for Crohn's disease (CD). Postoperative intra-abdominal septic complications (IASC) occur in 1.2-16.7% of cases. We investigated the frequency of postoperative IASC in elective surgeries for CD and the risk factors and potential biomarkers for postoperative IASC.

We conducted a retrospective single-center cohort study of patients who underwent abdominal surgery for CD at Fukuoka University Chikushi Hospital between January 2015 and December 2023. The primary focus was the incidence of IASC within 60 days postoperatively. Patient-related variables were examined using univariate and multivariable analyses.

The analysis included 206 of 249 surgeries. Postoperative IASC occurred in 26 patients (12.6%). Univariate analysis identified history of steroid use requiring steroid coverage (p=0.002), penetrating type (p=0.020), WBC count (p=0.037), neutrophil count (0.009), C-reactive protein (CRP) (p=0.035), CRP-albumin ratio (CAR) (p=0.034), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) (p=0.002), and operation duration (p=0.010) as significant factors. Multivariable analysis identified history of steroid use requiring steroid coverage (OR=6.23, 95%CI=1.61-24.1, p=0.008), high NLR (OR=3.43, 95%CI=1.30-9.04, p=0.013), and long duration of operation (OR=2.63, 95%CI=1.01-6.88, p=0.049) as independent predictors. The optimal cutoffs for predicting IASC were an NLR of 3.98 (sensitivity, 61.5%; specificity, 77.8%) and an operation time of 173 min (sensitivity, 65.4%; specificity, 65.0%), respectively.

History of steroid use requiring steroid coverage, preoperative NLR ≧3.98, and duration of operation ≧173 min are independent risk factors for postoperative IASC in elective surgeries for CD. Recognition of high-risk patients would contribute to the decision-making process for perioperative management.