The role of neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio with wound healing in open tibial fracture grade IIIA

Abstract

Introduction: Open fractures of the tibia are challenging injuries to treat. The neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has been used to predict poor prognosis in various orthopedic conditions. This study aims to analyze the role of NLR in the wound healing of patients with open fractures. Methods: This is a retrospective study with data taken from all patients with grade IIIA open tibial fractures admitted to the hospital for treatment between January 2018 and June 2023. The initial NLR value and wound healing state were recapped after 6 weeks of follow-up. A statistical analysis between NLR values and wound healing state was done to measure the significance between variables. Results: There were 49 participants included in this study. Our current study found a significant difference between the mean NLR value of the healed and nonhealed wound (12.59±11.2 vs 10.46±7.9, P =0.015). The mean NLR in the healed group was significantly higher than in the nonhealed group. Calculating NLR involves dividing the absolute count of neutrophils by the total count of lymphocytes, which can be obtained through a complete blood count test. This ratio offers valuable insights into the balance between inflammatory and anti-inflammatory responses in the body. Conclusion: The NLR was significantly higher in the healed group than in the nonhealed group. Further research with higher-quality studies might be needed to prove its prognostic factor.

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