Prognostic significance of inflammatory biomarkers in predicting mortality among geriatric patients with sepsis in the intensive care unit

Aims: This study aims to investigate the prognostic significance of inflammatory biomarkers including the C-reactive protein (CRP)/albumin ratio, neutrophile-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and procalcitonin (PCT) in predicting mortality among geriatric patients with sepsis in the intensive care unit (ICU). Methods: This retrospective study analyzed the medical records of 239 patients aged 65 years and older who were hospitalized with sepsis in the ICU between May and October 2023. Demographic characteristics, APACHE II scores, laboratory biomarkers (CRP, PCT, complete blood count), length of ICU stay and mortality outcomes were collected. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to determine predictors of mortality. Results: The overall mortality rate was 66.9%. CRP, CRP/albumin ratio, mean platelet volume (MPV), red blood cell distribution width (RDW), lactate and APACHE II scores were significantly higher (p<0.05). In multivariate analysis only the CRP/albumin ratio and APACHE II score remained independent predictors of mortality. The CRP/albumin ratio showed moderate discriminatory power (AUC: 0.632) at a cutoff value of 6.20, with a sensitivity of 48.8% and a specificity of 73.4%. Conclusion: The CRP/albumin ratio and APACHE II score were independently associated with mortality in elderly septic patients. These accessible and cost-effective parameters may aid in early risk stratification and guide clinical decision-making in the ICU setting.