Background: Surgery is one of the leading causes of acute kidney injury (AKI) in hospitalized patients. Major abdominal surgery has the second higher incidences of AKI, after cardiac surgery. AKI results from a complex interaction between hemodynamic, toxic and inflammatory factors. The pathogenesis of AKI following major abdominal surgery is distinct from cardiac and vascular surgery. The neutrophil, lymphocytes and platelets (N/LP) ratio has been demonstrated as an inflammatory marker and an independent predictor for AKI and mortality after cardiovascular surgery. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic ability of the post-operative N/LP ratio after major abdominal surgery.

Methods: We cross-examined data of a retrospective analysis of 450 patients who underwent elective or urgent major nonvascular abdominal surgery at the Department of Surgery II of Centro Hospitalar Lisboa Norte from January 2010 to February 2011. N/LP ratio was determined using maximal neutrophil counts and minimal lymphocyte and platelet counts in the first 12 h after surgery. AKI was considered when developed within 48 h after surgery.

Results: One-hundred and one patients (22.4%) developed AKI. Patients with higher N/LP ratio had an increased risk of developing postoperative AKI (6.36 ± 7.34 vs 4.33 ± 3.36, p < 0.001; unadjusted OR 1.1 (95% CI 1.04-1.16), p = 0.001; adjusted OR 1.05 (95% CI 1.00-1.10), p = 0.048). Twenty-nine patients died (6.44%). AKI was an independent predictor of mortality (20.8 vs 2.3%, p < 0.0001; unadjusted OR 11.2, 95% CI 4. 8-26.2, p < 0.0001; adjusted OR 3.56, 95% CI 1.0 2-12.43, p = 0.046). In a multivariate analysis higher N/LP ratio was not associated with increased in-hospital mortality.

Conclusion: Postoperative N/LP ratio was independently associated with AKI after major abdominal surgery, although there was no association with in-hospital mortality.