3.2 Laboratory parameters
When comparing the complete blood count (CBC) parameters between the R/R
HLH group and the non-R/R HLH group, no statistically significant
differences were observed in hemoglobin level, white blood cell counts
(WBC), absolute neutrophil counts (ANC), and platelet counts in both
groups. However, the median ANC and platelet counts were lower in the
R/R HLH group. The median ferritin level was non-significantly higher in
the R/R HLH group at 11,152 ng/mL (IQR: 2,130 – 31,860 ng/mL) compared
to 4,622 ng/mL (IQR: 1,263 – 20,001 ng/mL) in the non-R/R HLH group
(p=0.241). The median serum sodium level was slightly lower in the R/R
HLH group, although this difference was not statistically significant.
Regarding coagulation tests, both prothrombin time (PT) and INR were
significantly elevated in the R/R HLH group, along with serum aspartate
aminotransferase (AST) and levels of both total and direct bilirubin. In
the 67 cases with available lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) data, which
included 21 R/R HLH and 46 non-R/R HLH cases, the median LDH level in
the R/R HLH group was 1,168 U/L (IQR: 717 – 3,198 U/L), compared to 721
U/L (IQR: 372 – 1,429 U/L) in the non-R/R HLH group (p=0.026). When
comparing the median erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) in 22 patients
with R/R HLH to that in 40 patients without R/R HLH, there was no
statistically significant difference between these groups (32.5 mm/h
(IQR: 12.0 – 58.0 mm/h) vs 47.0 mm/h (IQR: 17.0 – 76.0 mm/h),
p=0.140). The median CRP levels in 20 patients with R/R HLH and 39
patients without R/R HLH were also found to be comparable (37.2 mg/L
(IQR: 15.0 – 67.2 mg/L) vs 31.4 mg/L (IQR: 12.0 – 87.1 mg/L),
p=0.850). Comprehensive laboratory data was presented in Table 2.