Hematological parameters as predictors of severity in community-acquired pneumonia: a case-control study
Abstract
Community-Acquired Pneumonia (CAP) continues to represent a substantial public health burden in India, characterized by high rates of severity and associated mortality. Effective, rapid, and cost-efficient risk stratification tools are essential for timely intervention in resource-constrained tertiary care settings. While standard clinical scoring systems, such as the CURB-65, are widely used, their reliance on clinical judgment and potentially delayed laboratory results can hinder early triage. Hematological ratios, particularly the Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR) and the Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (PLR), offer readily available markers reflecting the interplay between systemic inflammation and the host immune response.
Objectives: The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the predictive utility of admission NLR and PLR in identifying Severe Community-Acquired Pneumonia (SCAP), defined by the 2007 Infectious Diseases Society of America/American Thoracic Society (IDSA/ATS) criteria, among adult patients presenting to a North Indian tertiary care center.
Methods: A retrospective, single-center case-control study was conducted at the Shri Guru Ram Rai Institute of Medical & Health Sciences, Dehradun, India, utilizing medical records from 01 May 2023 to 30 October 2023. Sixty patients classified as SCAP (Cases: meeting ≥ 1 major or ≥ 3 minor IDSA/ATS criteria) were compared against 120 non-severe CAP patients (Controls). NLR and PLR were calculated from the…
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a case-control. Its evidence level is 4 of 5 (Low · observational). Observational designs can show an association but not prove cause.
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