BACKGROUND

Neutrophil plays a pivotal role in the management of infection. Delineate the clinical characteristics and prognostic utility of neutrophil in severe patients with infection are crucial for clinical management and prognostic assessment.

METHODS

patients with different infection sites were enrolled from Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV and eICU Collaborative Research Database. Temporal variations of neutrophil counts within 30 days of clinical onset were examined using locally weighted scatterplot smoothing curves. Logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the relationship between neutrophil counts and hospital mortality.

RESULTS

A total of 1,705 patients caused by were included in the study. The non-survivor group exhibited a comparatively older age and a higher proportion of infections originating from respiratory and bloodstream sources compared to the survivor group (38.4% vs 21.1%, p<0.0001, and 15.1% vs 10.3%, p=0.021). Patients combined with multiple drug resistance strains, respiratory infection, liver disease, and above 60 years exhibited a specific dynamic process of neutrophil levels. Neutrophils counts peaked at admission and 1-2 weeks later. There was a 'U'-shaped relationship between neutrophil counts and hospital mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

Neutrophils in infected patients have distinctive features and dynamic clinical trajectories. Close monitoring of severe patients infected with upon admission and during the first 1-2 weeks after admission is of utmost importance, particularly for patients with a neutrophil count exceeding 8.0×10/L.