Relationship between Inflammatory Cytokines and Hematological Parameters for Infection Severity in Cases of Klebsiella pneumoniae Infections in Samarra City, Iraq

Background: Infections caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae have been identified as one of the most significant opportunistic bacterial infections in causing inflammation and hematological complications. The pathogen causes lung, urine tract, blood, and wound infections in immune-compromised individuals.
Objective: This study was conducted to explore the relationship between cytokine levels, hematological factors, and infection severity in patients infected with Klebsiella pneumoniae in Samarra, Iraq.
Methods: Cross sectional study was done on 100 patients where 70 of them suffered from Klebsiella pneumoniae infection while rest 30 patients served as control group. Blood sample of all participants were tested for assessment of inflammatory cytokines such as IL-6, TNF-α, CRP along with hematological tests like WBC count, % neutrophils, % lymphocytes, hemoglobin, platelets, ESR, and NLR, Statistical analysis was done using SPSS version 26.
Results: The patients harboring K. pneumoniae exhibited significant increases in IL-6, TNF-α, CRP, white blood cell counts, neutrophil percentage, ESR, and NLR, whereas hemoglobin concentration and lymphocyte percentage were decreased significantly. Patients with severe infections had much higher levels of inflammatory cytokines and alterations in their blood compared to those with moderate infections. There were positive associations between the concentration of cytokines and infection severity scores.
Conclusion: Increased inflammatory cytokine levels and changes in hematological parameters play an important role in the severity of infection by Klebsiella pneumoniae. Such parameters can be used to predict the development of disease.