Clinical value of multiple hematological markers to predict infection after hepatic carcinectomy

Objective To investigate the predictive value of multiple hematological markers in postoperative infection after hepatic carcinectomy, such as neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and monocyte to lymphocyte ratio (MLR). Methods A total of 326 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients received hepatectomy in the First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University from January 2019 to June 2023 were retrospectively included, and were divided into 72 cases (22.09%) in the infection group and 254 cases (77.91%) in the non-infection group, according to whether infection occurred during the postoperative hospitalization. Multivariate logistic regression was used to screen the independent risk factors for postoperative infections in HCC patients, and ROC curves were used to analyze the clinical value of each hematological marker in predicting postoperative infections in HCC patients. Results The results of multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that open surgery (OR=1.401, 95%CI: 1.043-1.881), drain placement time ＞7d (OR=1.344, 95%CI: 1.052-1.718), and increased PCT (OR=1.335, 95%CI: 1.005-1.773), NLR (OR=1.554, 95%CI: 1.216-1.986) and controlling nutritional status (COUNT) score (OR=1.465, 95%CI: 1.141-1.882) were risk factors for infection after hepatic carcinectonay (P＜0.05). The ROC curves showed that NLR had the highest predictive value for infection after hepatic carcinectomy (AUC: 0.781), followed by COUNT score (AUC: 0.675) and PCT had the lowest predictive performance (AUC: 0.602). Conclusion PCT, NLR and CONUT scores are all correlated with postoperative infection after hepatic carcinectomy and have predictive ability for postoperative infection, with NLR having the relatively highest predictive value.