Purpose: Recent technological advances have led to analyses of the delta neutrophil index (DNI), which reflects the fraction of circulating immature granulocytes, using specific automated blood cell analyzers. We evaluated the significance of the DNI as a prognostic marker for early severity in patients with acute cholangitis.
Methods: We retrospectively analyzed patients initially diagnosed with acute cholangitis at emergency department admission, followed by diagnostic confirmation, during a set period. The DNI was determined on each day of hospitalization. Clinical outcomes were the incidence of shock requiring vasopressor/inotrope and 28-day mortality.
Results: We included 461 patients who met our inclusion criteria. According to multivariate Cox proportional hazard models, higher DNI at admission (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.102; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.053-1.153; P < 0.001), day 1 (HR: 1.069; 95% CI: 1.018-1.122; P = 0.008), and day 2 (HR: 1.118; 95% CI: 1.053-1.186; P < 0.001) were significant risk factors for 28-day mortality. Among patients with acute cholangitis, a DNI > 4.9% at admission (HR: 5.632; 95% CI: 1.977-16.045; P = 0.001) and day 1 (HR, 9.973; 95% CI: 2.666-37.302; P < 0.001) and higher DNI ( > 2.5%) on day 2 (HR, 16.942; 95% CI: 2.15-133.496; P = 0.007) were associated with increased 28-day mortality.
Conclusion: Higher DNI levels are predictive markers of hemodynamic instability and 28-day mortality in patients with acute cholangitis. The accuracy of DNI for predicting hemodynamic instability and 28-day mortality is superior to that of other parameters.