Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 3, 2026

Breath Collection from Children for Disease Biomarker Discovery
06:09

Breath Collection from Children for Disease Biomarker Discovery

Published on: February 14, 2019

Inflammatory biomarkers and symptom presence in pediatric corrosive substance ingestion: a retrospective study

Hülya İpek1, Gül Doğan2, Mehmet Metin2

  • 1Department of Pediatric Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Hitit University, Çorum, Turkey. drhulyad@yahoo.com.

BMC Pediatrics
|June 2, 2026
PubMed

Insights

In pediatric corrosive ingestion, inflammatory biomarkers like neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) correlate with symptoms but have limited diagnostic value. Endoscopic evaluation remains crucial for assessing esophageal injury severity.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Gastroenterology
  • Clinical Toxicology
  • Inflammatory Biomarkers

Background:

  • Corrosive substance ingestion poses significant risks to children, with symptoms often not correlating with esophageal injury severity.
  • Early assessment is challenging, prompting investigation into accessible inflammatory biomarkers as adjunctive diagnostic tools.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the association between specific inflammatory biomarkers and symptom presence in pediatric patients who ingested corrosive substances.
  • To assess the discriminative performance of these biomarkers in identifying symptomatic cases.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of 213 pediatric patients (0-18 years) with corrosive ingestion.
  • Calculation and analysis of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), systemic inflammatory response index (SIRI), and pan-immune-inflammation value (PIV).
  • Comparison of biomarker levels between symptomatic and asymptomatic groups.

Main Results:

  • Symptomatic patients (8.5%) exhibited higher neutrophil and lower lymphocyte levels, leading to significantly elevated NLR (P=.002).
  • Elevated PLR, SII, SIRI, and PIV were also observed in symptomatic children.
  • NLR demonstrated the best discriminative performance (AUC=0.723) for symptom presence.

Conclusions:

  • Inflammatory biomarkers, especially NLR, show an association with symptom presence in pediatric corrosive ingestion.
  • However, their current diagnostic or prognostic utility is limited, and they cannot replace endoscopic evaluation.
  • Further prospective research is necessary to confirm the clinical applicability of these biomarkers.
Abstract

Keywords:
Corrosive esophagitisInflammatory biomarkersNLRPediatricSII

More Related Videos

Handheld Metal Detector Screening for Metallic Foreign Body Ingestion in Children04:55

Handheld Metal Detector Screening for Metallic Foreign Body Ingestion in Children

Published on: September 11, 2018

Related Concept Videos

Toxidromes: Clinical Features01:30

Toxidromes: Clinical Features

Toxidromes are specific patterns of symptoms resulting from toxic substance exposure. They help in the identification and treatment of poisoning. The symptoms of each toxidrome group indicate poisoning by a certain class of chemicals or drugs.1. Sympathomimetic: Stimulates the sympathetic nervous system. Symptoms include agitation, increased heart rate (HR), blood pressure (BP), respiratory rate (RR), temperature, and pupil size. Drugs like cocaine and amphetamines, along with tremors and...
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease II: Clinical Features and Management01:29

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease II: Clinical Features and Management

Gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, is a persistent medical condition that affects many individuals worldwide. Its clinical manifestations can vary greatly, making diagnosis and management challenging for healthcare professionals. The following is a comprehensive overview of the clinical manifestations, assessment, and management strategies for GERD.
Clinical Manifestations
GERD presents itself in a multitude of ways, with symptoms varying from person to person. The hallmark symptoms are...
Peptic Ulcer Disease III: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnostic Studies01:28

Peptic Ulcer Disease III: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnostic Studies

Peptic ulcer disease (PUD) presents with diverse symptoms depending on the location and severity of the ulcer. Clinical manifestations of peptic ulcer include dull pain and a burning sensation in the mid-epigastric region.
Few clinical manifestations differentiate gastric ulcers from duodenal ulcers. Distinctions in the location, timing, and pain relief are crucial for healthcare providers in differentiating between gastric and duodenal ulcers during clinical assessments.
Assessment of the Gastrointestinal System I: Subjective Data01:17

Assessment of the Gastrointestinal System I: Subjective Data

Assessing the gastrointestinal (GI) system is a complex process that begins with collecting subjective data. This data, collected through patient interviews, provides crucial insights into the patient's health history, perception patterns, and lifestyle habits, all contributing significantly to GI health.
Health History
The initial step in assessing the GI system is obtaining a comprehensive health history. This includes inquiring about the patient's history or presence of problems related to...
Prevention of Further Absorption of Poison01:14

Prevention of Further Absorption of Poison

In cases of acute poisoning, the primary objective is to prevent further absorption of the toxic substance into the body. Immediate interventions using various decontamination techniques targeting the gastrointestinal (GI) tract can achieve this. Decontamination is crucial to prevent poison from entering the systemic circulation, which involves washing affected areas with water and mild soap and removing contaminated clothing. Once external decontamination is done, attention must be turned to...
Acute Coronary Syndrome III: Diagnostic Studies01:30

Acute Coronary Syndrome III: Diagnostic Studies

Diagnosing acute coronary syndrome or ACS begins with a thorough patient history. Notable symptoms include central, crushing chest pain radiating to the left arm, neck, jaw, or back, along with shortness of breath, sweating (diaphoresis), nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and palpitations.It is crucial to note any history of cardiac illnesses and assess risk factors, including age, gender, smoking, hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and a sedentary lifestyle.During physical examination, vital...