Predicting the Severity of Acute Appendicitis in Children Using Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR) and Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (PLR).

Introduction The ability to predict risk of perforation in acute appendicitis (AA) could direct timely management and reduce morbidity. Platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) are surrogate severity markers in infections. This study investigates the use of PLR and NLR as a marker for distinguishing uncomplicated (UA) and complicated appendicitis (CA) in children.

The Role of Neutrophil-Lymphocyte-Ratio (NLR) and Platelet-Lymphocyte-Ratio (PLR) as a Biomarker for Distinguishing Between Complicated and Uncomplicated Appendicitis.

Introduction Acute appendicitis (AA) is one of the most common acute general surgical presentations affecting 7% of the population at some point in their lifetime. The ability to assess the risk of complicated appendicitis (CA) from uncomplicated appendicitis (UA) in acute appendicitis (AA) could reduce the associated morbidity and mortality. The value of platelet lymphocyte ratio (PLR) as an inflammatory marker increases when its fluctuations are interpreted along with other complementary hematologic indices, such as neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), which provides additional information about the disease activity.

"More than just a medical student": a mixed methods exploration of a structured volunteering programme for undergraduate medical students.

Background: As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic Imperial College School of Medicine developed a structured volunteering programme involving 398 medical students, across eight teaching hospitals. This case study aims to explore the relationship between the processes, context, participant experiences and impacts of the programme so that lessons can be learned for future emergencies and service-learning programmes.

Methods: Using an illuminative approach to evaluation we invited all volunteers and supervisors to complete a mixed-methods survey.