title: Is neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio associated with subclinical inflammation and amyloidosis in patients with familial Mediterranean fever?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of the present study is to determine the association between neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio and both subclinical inflammation and amyloidosis in familial Mediterranean fever.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety-four patients with familial Mediterranean fever and 60 healthy volunteers were included in the study. Of the patients, 12 had familial Mediterranean fever related amyloidosis. The neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio of the patients was obtained from the hematology laboratory archive.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio was significantly higher among persons with familial Mediterranean fever compared to healthy individuals (P < 0.0001). Also, neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio was significantly higher in patients with amyloidosis than in amyloidosis-free patients (P < 0.0001). Since NLR was evaluated in nonamyloid and amyloid stages of the same patient population (type 1 phenotype), we obtained significant statistical differences (1.95 ± 0.30 versus 2.64 ± 0.48, P < 0.05, resp.). With the cutoff value of neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio >2.21 and AUC = 0.734 (P = 0.009), it was a reliable marker in predicting the development of amyloidosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio, an emerging marker of inflammation, is higher in patients with familial Mediterranean fever in attack-free periods. The neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio may be a useful marker in predicting the development of amyloidosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Cumhuriyet University, 58140 Sivas, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ali Ugur
authors.initials: AU
authors.lastname: Uslu
authors.forename: Koksal
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Deveci
authors.forename: Serdal
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Korkmaz
authors.forename: Bahattin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Aydin
authors.forename: Soner
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Senel
authors.forename: Enver
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sancakdar
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sencan
mesh_terms: D000686:Amyloidosis / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D001799:Blood Sedimentation; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D010505:Familial Mediterranean Fever / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000473:pathology*; D012372:ROC Curve; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D002097:C-Reactive Protein