The Role of Systemic Inflammation in Acquired Nasolacrimal Duct Obstruction

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to investigate the influence of systemic inflammation on adult patients with acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction (ANLDO).
METHODS: Peripheral venous blood analysis was performed on adult patients who underwent dacryocystorhinostomy for ANLDO between June 2020 and December 2022, during their remission period just before the surgery. Platelet, Neutrophil, Lymphocyte, Monocyte, White Blood Cell (WBC) count, Platelet/Lymphocyte ratio (PLR), Neutrophil/Lymphocyte ratio (NLR), Monocyte/Lymphocyte ratio (MLR), and systemic inflammatory index (SII) (calculated as platelet × (neutrophil/lymphocyte)) were compared with a volunteer control group.
RESULTS: The study included 54 adult patients with ANLDO and 54 individuals in the control group. The mean age was 42.5±14.4 years in the ANLDO group and 37.8±12.3 years in the volunteer control group. There was no significant difference in age between the groups (p=0.064). Platelet value (295.9±70.9→254.7±43.9), PLR value (143.8±77.7→119.0±36.1), and SII value (534.7±192.0→442.6±212.2) in the ANLDO group were significantly higher compared to the Control group (p=0.000, p=0.023, p=0.020, respectively). Neutrophil, lymphocyte, monocyte, NLR, MLR, and WBC values did not exhibit significant differences between the case and control groups (p=0.299, p=0.469, p=0.125, p=0.419, p=0.143, and p=0.465, respectively).
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The study revealed elevated systemic platelet counts in ANLDO patients, resulting in higher PLR and SII values. The authors suggest that a histopathological examination to assess the local impact of platelets or other inflammatory processes in nasolacrimal duct obstruction could offer valuable insights into the etiopathology of ANLDO.