Can the count and percentage of immature granulocytes be used to detect disease activity in patients with pemphigus?: A preliminary study

Recently, immature granulocyte count (IGC) in an automated blood cell counter was introduced as a new inflammatory marker. We aimed to evaluate the relationship between the IGC and percentage of immature granulocyte (IG%) and disease activity in patients with pemphigus. Pemphigus disease area index (PDAI), IGC, IG%, C-reactive protein, neutrophil/lymphocyte ratios, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), anti-desmoglein 1, and anti-desmoglein 3 levels in patients with pemphigus were recorded retrospectively, and the statistical relationship between them was evaluated. Repetitive intra-patient blood samples (74 blood samples) and PDAIs (74 PDAI scores) of 24 patients (12 men, 12 women; mean age 56.30 ± 16.47 years) were included in the study. There was no correlation between PDAI and anti-desmoglein 1, anti-desmoglein 3 levels, and neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (r = 0.040, P = .737; r = 0.007, P = .952; r = 0.224, P = .055, respectively). A statistically low positive correlation was detected between PDAI and C-reactive protein (r = 0.243, P = .037). There was a moderate positive correlation between PDAI and IGC, IG%, and PLR (r = 0.435, P < .001; r = 0.412, P < .001; r = 0.376, P = .001, respectively). The effects of independent variables in predicting PDAI were evaluated using multiple linear regression analysis. Accordingly, the cutoff value of the IGC and PLR positively significantly affect the PDAI score (P < .05). A 1-unit increase in PLR indicates a 0.009 times increase in PDAI, and a 1-unit increase exceeding the IG cutoff value indicates a 2.836 times increase in PDAI. The IGC and IG% can be used to evaluate pemphigus disease activity.