Increased neutrophil count as a marker of systemic inflammation in patients with seborrheic dermatitis: A Retrospective Controlled Study

ABSTRACT
Objective: This study aimed to investigate inflammatory parameters in individuals affected by seborrheic dermatitis (SD) and in a control group of healthy subjects to assess potential associations with the severity of the disease.
Material and Methods: The electronic health data of 107 patients with SD enrolled between February and August 2023 were scanned. We employed a control group comprising 73 age-and- sex-matched healthy subjects. The patients and controls were compared for neutrophil count (NEU), lymphocyte count (LYM), white blood cell count (WBC), platelet count (PLT) counts, platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) along with thrombocyte indices including platelet-crit (PCT) and mean platelet volume (MPV) measured from CBC. The Seborrheic Dermatitis Area and Severity Index (SDASI) of each patient was determined, and the correlations between each patient’s age and SDASI score, and inflammatory markers were calculated.
Results: The mean NEU was significantly elevated in the patient group compared with that of the healthy controls, (4.51 ± 1.489 x103/mm3 versus 4.09 ± 1.096 x103/ mm3, p=0.038). Based on the univariate analysis results, NEU in patients diagnosed with SD was significantly different compared to the control group (odds ratio, 1.274; 95% confidence interval, 1.010-1.607, p=0.041). Although individuals with SD had higher mean MPV, NLR, PLR, WBC, NEU, LYM, PLT, and SII values in comparison to the controls, these differences were not statistically significant. There was no significant correlation between age or SDASI scores in the MPV, NLR, PLR, SII, WBC, NEU, LYM, or PCT of the patients. However, PLT and age had a significant negative correlation (p=0.008). SDASI scores increased significantly with age (p=0.025).
Conclusion: NEU can serve as an inflammatory marker in SD. The negative correlation between age and PLT may indicate that the level of inflammation in SD decreases with age.
Keywords: Immunology, Inflammatory parameters, Neutrophils, Seborrheic dermatitis.