COMPARATIVE STUDY TO ASSESS THE EFFICACY OF EOSINOPHIL COUNT AND NEUTROPHIL-LYMPHOCYTE COUNT RATIO VERSUS PROCALCITONIN LEVELS IN PATIENTS WITH SEPSIS.

There is scarce evidence on the use of eosinophil count as a marker of outcome in patients with infection. The aim of the study was to evaluate whether changes in eosinophil count, as well as the neutrophil-lymphocyte count ratio (NLCR), could be used as clinical markers of outcome in patients with sepsis when compared to Procalcitonin (PCT) levels. Methods:- We performed a prospective observational study on patients admitted in sepsis between November 2013 and September 2015. A total of 100 patients in sepsis were included. Chi square test, student t test and ANOVA were used to analyze the behavior of eosinophil count and NLCR in survivors and non survivors. Results:- In the analysis, the main independent risk factor for mortality was persistence of an eosinophil count below 40 cells/mm3. An NLCR value was also an independent risk factor but was of lesser importance. The mean eosinophil count in survivors showed a tendency to increase rapidly and to achieve normal values between second and the third day. In these patients, the NLCR was <7 between the second and third day. Conclusion:- Both sustained eosinopenia and persistence of an NLCR <7 were independent markers of mortality in patients with sepsis.