Preoperative C-Reactive Protein/Albumin Ratio as a Predictive Factor for Gallbladder Carcinoma

Abstract

Background/aim: The C-reactive protein (CRP) to albumin ratio (CAR) is associated with outcomes in patients with sepsis. We aimed to evaluate the significance of preoperative CAR in therapeutic outcomes after gallbladder carcinoma (GBC) resection.

Patients and methods: Fifty-three patients who underwent surgical resection for GBC between January 2008 and September 2019 were enrolled. We retrospectively investigated the relation between preoperative CAR and overall and disease-free survival.

Results: The optimal cut-off CAR was 0.07. Multivariate analysis showed that i) R1 or R2 resection (p=0.033), ii) advanced tumor stage (p=0.047), iii) CAR≥0.07 (p=0.011), and iv) postoperative complications (p=0.028) were significant independent predictors of overall survival; moreover, higher carbohydrate antigen levels (p=0.036) and R1 or R2 resection (p<0.001) were significant independent predictors of disease-free survival.

Conclusion: Preoperative CAR may be a significant independent predictor of long-term outcomes after GBC resection.

Keywords: C-reactive protein to albumin ratio; Inflammation-based prognostic score; gallbladder carcinoma.