The Usefulness of the Delta Neutrophil Index for Predicting Superimposed Pneumonia in Patients with Acute Decompensated Heart Failure in the Emergency Department

Background: Although respiratory infections, such as pneumonia, have long been recognized as precipitators of exacerbation in patients with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF), identifying signs of concomitant pneumonia in ADHF is a clinical diagnostic challenge. We evaluated the predictive value of the delta neutrophil index (DNI), a new indicator for immature granulocytes, for diagnosing superimposed pneumonia in patients presenting with ADHF in the emergency department (ED).

Methods: This was a retrospective and observational study of consecutive patients (>18 years old) diagnosed with an ADHF in the ED over a 7-month period. Patients were categorized into either the ADHF group or the ADHF with pneumonia group. DNI, serum white blood cell (WBC), C-reactive protein (CRP), and β-natriuretic peptide (BNP) were measured upon ED arrival.

Results: The ADHF with pneumonia group included 30 patients (20.4%). Median initial DNI, WBC, and CRP were significantly higher in the ADHF with pneumonia group [0% vs. 1.8%, p<0.001, 8,200 cells/mL vs. 10,470 cells/mL, p<0.001, and 0.56 mg/dL vs. 6.10 mg/dL, p<0.001]. Multiple logistic regression analyses showed that only initial DNI significantly predicted the presence of superimposed pneumonia in patients with ADHF. In the receiver operating characteristic curves for initial DNI, WBC, and CRP for differentiating superimposed pneumonia in ADHF patients, the area under curve (AUC) of DNI (0.916 [95% confidence interval 0.859-0.955]) was good. AUC of DNI was significantly higher than AUC of CRP and WBC [0.828 and 0.715] (DNI vs. CRP, p = 0.047 and DNI vs. WBC, p<0.001).

Conclusions: Initial DNI, which was measured upon ED arrival, was significantly higher in the ADHF with pneumonia group than in the ADHF group. The initial DNI's ability of prediction for ADHF with superimposed pneumonia in the ED was good and it was better than those of serum WBC and CRP. Therefore, DNI may serve as a convenient and useful marker for early diagnosis of superimposed pneumonia in patients with ADHF in the ED.