Comparison of Band Percentage vs Immature Granulocyte Percentage in the Setting of Possible Infection Principle Investigators.

Sepsis is a major cause of mortality worldwide. Early identification and treatment are critical to improve survival. Band count has been used as part of SIRS criteria for the early identification of potentially septic patients. Unfortunately, band count requires manual interpretation. This leads to increased potential for intraobserver variability. Immature granulocytes are counted in an automated fashion, which has the potential to improve accuracy and reduce costs. We aim to compare the band percentage and immature granulocyte percentage to set the threshold for immature granulocyte percentage equal to the sensitivity of > 10% band count. A retrospective chart review was conducted at a single academic medical center. Data from patients with SIRS criteria and measured immature granulocyte and band percentages were utilized to explore potential associations between immature granulocyte percentages and band percentages. Data were analyzed using Spearman correlations, Wilcoxon rank-sum tests, and logistic regressions. We found no significant associations between immature granulocyte percentage and band percentage or other SIRS criteria. We conclude that immature granulocyte percentage does not correlate with band percentage in the setting of possible infection.