Corticosteroidal impacts on white blood cells differentials in ear-nose-throat admitted infected patients

Background/aim: It is well-established that the use of corticosteroidal agents in patients with Ear-Nose-Throat infections can lead to an increased risk of infection recurrence, while also potentially prolonging the duration of the infection. It is crucial to ensure a proper equilibrium between the advantages and drawbacks of the corticosteroidal agent. This study investigates the effects of corticosteroids on specific subsets of immune cells in patients admitted to the Ear-Nose-Throat department with infections.
Methods: This study was conducted retrospectively from March 2020 to September 2021. The variables that were measured and calculated were categorised into parametric and non-parametric data. The parametric data were compared between the two groups, Non-Dexamethasone Cohort (Cohort I) and Dexamethasone Cohort (Cohort II), using Independent, One-Sample T-Tests, and Chi-Square Test.
Results: The average age of the entire study cohort was 59.40±10.60 years. There was a slightly higher proportion of males compared to females, with a ratio of approximately 2.309:1. The haematological analysis revealed a decrease in the levels of white blood cells, absolute neutrophils, monocytes, and the monocytes to lymphocytes ratio in Cohort I when compared to Cohort II. The levels of prognosticator biomarkers and their ratios were significantly lower in Cohort I when compared to Cohort II. Cohort II exhibited a significantly reduced hospital length of stay and a lower mortality rate among admitted infected patients in the ear-nose-throat infection, in comparison to Cohort I.
Conclusion: Our analysis determined that Dexamethasone 6 mg/day provides a substantial survival advantage for patients with higher baseline risk upon admission. This benefit is associated with a decrease in the counts of neutrophils and monocytes, as well as a decrease in the ratio of these counts to lymphocyte count.