Clinical utility of the platelet-lymphocyte ratio as a predictor of postoperative complications after radical gastrectomy for clinical T2-4 gastric cancer

Table 1 Demographic and preoperative clinical characteristics of 312 patients

Variables	Number of patients
Age, median (range)	66 (20-96)
Sex
Male	233
Female	79
Diabetes mellitus
Absent	273
Present	39
Cardiac comorbidities
Absent	217
Present	95
Pulmonary comorbidities
Absent	292
Present	20
Preoperative symptoms
Absent	172
Present	140
Preoperative body mass index, mean ± SD	21.9 ± 3.2
Tumor location
Entire	8
Upper third	68
Middle third	120
Lower third	116
Tumor size (mm)
< 50	176
≥ 50	136
UICC cT factor
cT1	0
cT2	150
cT3	95
cT4	67
UICC cN factor
cN0	157
cN1	93
cN2	53
cN3	9
UICC clinical stage
IB	98
IIA	71
IIB	69
IIIA	55
IIIB	14
IIIC	5

UICC: Union for International Cancer Control.

Table 2 Comparison between two subgroups according to the preoperative platelet-lymphocyte ratio

Variables	PLR < 0.71 (n = 154)	PLR ≥ 0.71 (n = 158)	P value
Age, median (range)	66 (20-86)	66 (34-96)	0.661
Sex			0.434
Male	112	121
Female	42	37
Diabetes mellitus			0.070
Absent	140	133
Present	14	25
Cardiac comorbidities			0.785
Absent	106	111
Present	48	47
Pulmonary comorbidities			0.021
Absent	149	143
Present	5	15
Preoperative symptoms			0.838
Absent	84	88
Present	70	70
Preoperative body mass index, mean ± SD	21.6 ± 3.3	22.2 ± 3.1	0.102
Tumor location			0.673
Entire	3	5
Upper third	32	36
Middle third	57	63
Lower third	62	54
Tumor size (mm)			0.043
< 50	78	98
≥ 50	76	60
UICC cT factor			0.502
cT1	0	0
cT2	69	81
cT3	49	46
cT4	36	31
UICC cN factor			0.633
cN0	75	82
cN1	51	42
cN2	24	29
cN3	4	5
UICC clinical stage			0.823
IB	45	53
IIA	37	34
IIB	32	37
IIIA	31	24
IIIB	7	7
IIIC	2	3
Operative procedure			0.669
Total gastrectomy	52	57
Distal gastrectomy	102	101
Splenectomy			0.191
Absent	128	122
Present	26	36
Dissected lymph nodes, mean ± SD	37.6 ± 15.8	38.7 ± 18.0	0.823
Operative time (min), mean ± SD	233 ± 56	238 ± 74	0.720
Estimated blood loss (mL), median (range)	237 (1-2350)	245 (8-4267)	0.491
Postoperative complications			< 0.001
Absent	108	138
Present	46	20

PLR: Platelet-lymphocyte ratio; UICC: Union for International Cancer Control.

Table 3 Predictive factors for grade 2 or higher complications according to the Clavien-Dindo system: Univariate and multivariable analyses

Variables	Univariate			Multivariable
	Odds ratio	95%CI	P value	Odds ratio	95%CI	P value
Age (≥ 65 yr)	1.26	0.73-2.23	0.410
Gender (male)	4.22	1.88-11.3	< 0.001	4.17	1.78-11.5	< 0.001
Preoperative symptoms	0.95	0.55-1.64	0.864
Diabetes mellitus	1.14	0.49-2.45	0.755
Cardiac comorbidities	1.81	1.02-3.18	0.041	1.55	0.83-2.87	0.166
Pulmonary comorbidities	1.26	0.40-3.40	0.669
Body mass index (≥ 22)	1.62	0.94-2.81	0.084
Preoperative PLR (< 0.71)	2.94	1.66-5.35	< 0.001	3.32	1.82-6.25	< 0.001
Tumor location (lower third)	0.62	0.34-1.11	0.107
Macroscopic tumor size (> 50 mm)	1.19	0.69-2.05	0.534
UICC cT (cT4)	1.30	0.67-2.69	0.457
UICC cN (cN1-3)	1.75	1.01-3.08	0.045	1.69	0.93-3.08	0.083
Operative procedure (total gastrectomy)	2.42	1.39-4.23	0.002	2.43	1.35-4.43	< 0.001

Analyses were performed using binomial logistic analysis. PLR: Platelet-lymphocyte ratio; UICC: Union for International Cancer Control.