Relationship of neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio with arterial stiffness and coronary calcium score.
BACKGROUND
Emerging evidence suggests that the neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) may be a useful marker of cardiovascular disease and a more powerful predictor than any other leukocyte subtypes. We determined whether NLR is related to atherosclerosis measured by brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) and coronary calcium score (CCS).


METHODS
We examined the relationship of NLR with baPWV and CCS in 849 Korean adults in a health examination program. The odds ratios for a high baPWV or a high CCS were calculated using multivariate logistic regression analysis across NLR quartiles. A high baPWV was defined as >1500 cm/s (>75th percentile) and a high CCS was defined as over 100 (at least moderate atherosclerotic plaque burden).


RESULTS
The ORs (95% CIs) for a high baPWV by NLR quartiles were 1.00, 0.76 (0.41-1.39), 1.08 (0.61-1.90), and 2.12 (1.18-3.83) after adjusting for confounding variables. Similarly, positive associations between NLR and a high CCS were also observed after adjusting for the same co-variables.


CONCLUSIONS
A higher NLR was independently associated with arterial stiffness and CCS. Accordingly, a higher NLR may be a useful additional measure in assessing cardiovascular risks in clinical practice.
Department of Family Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, and Department of Health Promotion Center, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Byoung-Jin
BJ
Park
Jae-Yong
JY
Shim
Hye-Ree
HR
Lee
Jung-Hyun
JH
Lee
Dong-Hyuk
DH
Jung
Hong-Bae
HB
Kim
Ha-Young
HY
Na
Yong-Jae
YJ
Lee
D000328:Adult; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000166:cytology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D059289:Vascular Stiffness
D002118:Calcium