Varikoselli hastalarda sistemik immün enflamasyon endeksi ve hematolojik enflamatuvar parametrelerinin değerlendirilmesi: Kontrollü bir çalışma

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to evaluate the relationship between varicocele and inflammation using hematological inflammatory parameters in patients with varicocele and systemic immune inflammation (SII) index, and to contribute to the etiopathogenesis of varicocele. MATERIAL and METHODS: The study included 56 healthy volunteers, and 59 patients who were diagnosed to have varicocele in the urology clinics of Erzurum City Hospital between May 2018 and December 2021. Patient files were retrospectively investigated and the data of whole blood analysis were recorded. Parameters obtained from whole blood analysis and systemic immune inflammation index were compared between groups. RESULTS: A total of 59 adult male who have diagnosed as varicocele were included in the patient group and 56 healthy adult volunteers were included in the control group. When the two groups were compared in terms of body mass index and mean age, there was no statistically significant difference. (p=0.915 and p=0.25, respectively). Lymphocyte count was significantly reduced in the patient group (p<0.001). Neutrophil/Lymphocyte ratio (NLR), Monocyte/Lymphocyte ratio (MLR), Platelet/Lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and SII index were found to be significantly higher in the patient group when compared for both groups (p<0.001, p=0.033, p<0.001 and p=0.005, respectively). There was no relation between the grade of varicocele and hematological inflammatory parameters or systemic inflammation index in the patient group. When we examined the relationship between semen parameters and SII index in patients with varicocele, we found that lymphocyte count, neutrophil count, NLR and SII index were significantly higher in patients with abnormal semen parameters compared to patients with normospermic varicocele (respectively; p=0.004, p=0.003, p<0.001 and p<0.001) SII has the best predictive power in predicting Impaired Semen Quality in varicocele patients among inflammatory parameters. CONCLUSION: SII index and hematological inflammatory parameters can show that inflammation is one of the factors playing a role in varicocele pathogenesis. Our study has important results showing the relationship between hematological inflammatory parameters and especially SII index and semen parameters in patients with varicocele. Prospective, randomized studies with larger numbers of patients and control groups should be conducted in order to investigate whether SII index and hematological inflammatory parameters can be used in the diagnosis, follow-up and treatment of varicocele. Keywords: varicocele, inflammation, systemic immune inflammation index