Can the percentage of immature granulocytes predict mortality of octogenarian patients in intensive care?

Aims:This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of immature granulocyte count and the percentage of immature granulocytes in predicting mortality in patients aged 80 years and older (octogenarians) in intensive care units. Methods: This retrospective study included 333 patients aged 80 years and older who were followed up in the intensive care unit. Demographic data, laboratory values, clinical outcomes, and mortality status were recorded. The data were evaluated in two groups: survivors and deaths. Differences between the groups were statistically analyzed and compared. Results: While the Glasgow Coma Scale(GCS) was lower in the mortality group, the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II(APACHE II) and Sequential Organ Function Assessment(SOFA) scores were higher than in the survivors (p<0.001 for all). C reactive protein (CRP), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, and lactate values were significant markers for mortality prediction. No significant difference was found for immature granulocyte count and percentage when the groups were compared. APACHE II and SOFA scores had the highest discriminatory power in predicting mortality, with the area under the curve= 0.74. Conclusion: In octogenarian patients followed up in the intensive care unit, we found that the number and percentage of immature granulocytes was not an effective biomarker for predicting mortality despite its cheap and easy use. In the future, more comprehensive studies may show the importance of immature granulocytes.