Clinical Implications of Eosinopenia in Adult Brucellosis Patients

Objective: To analyze the differences between eosinopenia and non-eosinopenia brucellosis patients in depth. Methods: Medical records of brucellosis patients admitted to the Affiliated Infectious Diseases Hospital of Soochow University between January 1, 2013, and December 31, 2023, were reviewed retrospectively. Patients were categorized into an eosinopenia group and a non-eosinopenia group based on pre-treatment eosinophil levels. A nonparametric test was performed to estimate the differences between the two groups. Results: Among the 125 patients, 66 (52.80%) experienced eosinopenia. Patients with eosinopenia were older (52.09 ± 15.63 years vs. 46.08 ± 16.39 years, P = 0.024), had a higher proportion of hypertension (21.21% vs. 6.78%, P = 0.024), and exhibited a greater likelihood of complications (75.76% vs. 35.59%, P = 0.000), particularly hematological (68.18% vs. 23.73%, P = 0.000) and relapse (19.70% vs. 6.78%, P = 0.040). The eosinopenia group also showed higher levels of ALT (29.00 vs. 20.00, P = 0.003), AST (29.00 vs. 22.00, P = 0.037), and LOS (17.50 vs. 12.00, P = 0.000). Among certain inflammatory indicators related to brucellosis, the eosinopenia group demonstrated lower levels, such as MPV (9.75 vs. 10.70, P = 0.000), MLR (0.28 vs. 0.36, P = 0.002), and SIRI (0.67 vs. 1.03, P = 0.004). Conclusion: Brucellosis patients with eosinopenia differed in clinical manifestations and prognosis. Monitoring eosinophils may provide better prognostic assessment and suggest potential new treatment options.