Neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio and the platelet parameters as biomarkers of atopic dermatitis severity in children

Background: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease with a specific immune and inflammatory mechanism. This study investigates inflammatory biomarkers and their correlation with disease severity. Objectives: The aim of this study is to determine the relationship between platelet parameters [(mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet distribution width (PDW)], the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), the platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and AD severity in children. Methods: In this retrospective study, we reviewed patients diagnosed with AD and a healthy control group at the department of pediatrics at Health Sciences in a university-affiliated hospital in Istanbul, Turkey, between January 2015 and December 2016. The study included 79 children with AD and 75 healthy controls. AD severity was graded using the Scoring Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD) index. Complete blood count was measured, and NLR and PLR were calculated. NLR, PLR, MPV, PDW were compared between AD patients and healthy controls, and the correlations between these indexes and clinical characteristics were analyzed. Results: No significant difference was observed between patients and controls for MPV, NLR, and PLR (P = 0.708, P = 0.340, P = 0.179, respectively). In the AD group, PDW was lower than controls (17.39 +/- 1.45, 18.04 +/- 1.65, P = 0.006). In the severe AD group, MPV was higher (7.62 +/- 1.81, 6.64 +/- 1.16, P = 0.035) and PDW was lower than in the mild AD group (16.52 +/- 1.49, 17.93 +/- 1.44, P = 0.0001). Conclusions: Mean MPV and PDW levels are correlated with atopic dermatitis severity in children.