Impact of the Inflammatory Burden Index on Prognosis After Hepatectomy for Colorectal Liver Metastasis

Am Surg. 2025 Jan 9:31348251313993. doi: 10.1177/00031348251313993. Online ahead of print.

Abstract

Background/aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the prognostic impact of the inflammatory burden index (IBI), a novel inflammation-based biomarker, in patients with colorectal liver metastases (CRLM) after hepatic resection.

Patients and methods: One hundred fifty patients with CRLM who underwent hepatectomy were retrospectively analyzed. The IBI was defined as C-reactive protein × neutrophil count/lymphocyte count. The relationship of the IBI with overall survival was investigated by univariate and multivariate analyses.

Results: Seventy-three (49%) patients had a high IBI (>3.45). In univariate analysis, overall survival was significantly worse in patients with lymph node metastases (P = 0.048), high NLR (P = 0.03), and high IBI (P < 0.01). In multivariate analysis, high IBI (P = 0.048) was an independent and significant predictor of overall survival. Patients with a high IBI had more postoperative complications compared with those with a low IBI (P < 0.01).

Conclusion: The IBI was a strong predictor for both short- and long-term outcomes in patients who underwent hepatic resection for CRLM.

Keywords: IBI; colorectal liver metastases; hepatectomy; inflammatory burden index.