Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio: An Easy Marker for the Diagnosis and Monitoring of Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Children.

BACKGROUND: The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is a simple and inexpensive inflammation biomarker that reflects systemic inflammation based on complete blood count values. AIMS: In our study, we aimed to compare the NLR values in pediatric inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and in healthy controls, and to define NLR levels in children with IBD during diagnosis, active disease, and remission. METHODS: NLR values of patients with IBD at diagnosis, remission, and active disease of the patients were recorded retrospectively. Age- and sex-matched healthy subjects enrolled as the control group. RESULTS: Sixty-three patients with IBD and 92 healthy subjects as the control group enrolled. The mean age of the patients with IBD was 9.31 ± 5.24 years, and 57.1% were males. The mean NLR values of the patients with IBD at diagnosis and remission were significantly higher than that of healthy controls (p < 0.001). The mean NLR values of the patients at diagnosis and active disease were significantly higher than that of during remission (p < 0.001). The best cutoff of NLR for prediction of diagnosis of IBD in children was 1.46 with a sensitivity of 86.2% and specificity of 93.5%. There was no significant difference regarding NLR between patients with IBD with and without associated diseases. At diagnosis the mean NLR level of patients with Crohn's disease was significantly higher than that of ulcerative colitis (p = 0.019). CONCLUSIONS: It was shown for the first time that NLR levels were significantly increased at diagnosis and active disease of childhood IBD, compared to the remission period. We believe that NLR can be a non-invasive inflammatory biomarker that should be used in the initial evaluation and follow-up of the disease activity in children.

Is Prolonged Copper Restriction Needed in Pediatric Wilson's Disease?

BACKGROUND: Dietary copper restriction in Wilson's disease is recommended mostly for 1 year or until showing normal liver enzymes. Little is known about the effect of long-term copper restriction on copper and nutritional status in the body. The relationship between daily copper consumption and serum and urine copper parameters, liver enzymes, and dietary contents was investigated. METHODS: In this study, 32 pediatric Wilson's disease patients who had been on treatment at least for 12 months were included. Clinical features, liver enzymes, serum total copper concentrations, non-ceruloplasmin bound copper concentrations, adjusted copper concentrations, 24-hour urine copper excretions, and macro- and micronutrient consumptions were analyzed. RESULTS: In total, 27 patients reported following copper-restricted diets, while daily copper consumption was low only in 7 patients (21.9%). Total copper concentrations and non-ceruloplasmin-bound copper concentrations were low at 78.1% and 53.1%, respectively. All but one adjusted copper concentration were within normal limits. Total copper concentrations, adjusted copper concentration, and non-ceruloplasmin-bound copper concentrations correlated with each other but none correlated with urine copper excretions. Daily copper consumption was inversely correlated with total copper concentrations (P = .041, r = -0.363) but not correlated with non-cerulo plasmin-bound copper concentrations and adjusted copper concentrations. There was no relationship between liver enzymes and daily copper consumption and serum and urine copper parameters. High fat consumption with low fiber and vitamin B6 was more common in low daily copper consumption group (P = .033, P = .029, P = .007, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Daily copper consumption may be the least effective or non-effective factor on liver enzymes in Wilson's disease. Prolonged copper restriction may result in unintentional dietary imbalance. Avoidance of undernutrition and high-fat meals, as well as enrichment of the meals with vitamin B6 and fiber, should be encouraged during copper-restricted diets.