title: Ratio of monocytes to lymphocytes in peripheral blood in patients diagnosed with active tuberculosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The ratio of monocytes to lymphocytes in peripheral blood could reflect an individual's immunity to Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between ratio of monocytes to lymphocytes and clinical status of patients with active tuberculosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a retrospective review of data collected from the clinical database of The Fifth People's Hospital of Wuxi, Medical College of Jiangnan University. A total of 419 patients who had newly diagnosed active tuberculosis and 108 cases from 419 patients with tuberculosis therapy either near completion or completed were selected. Controls were 327 healthy donors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Median ratio of monocytes to lymphocytes was 0.36 (IQR, 0.22-0.54) in patients before treatment, and 0.16 (IQR, 0.12-0.20) in controls (p<0.001). Ratio of monocytes to lymphocytes <9% or >25% was significant predictors for active tuberculosis (OR=114.73, 95% CI, 39.80-330.71; OR=89.81, 95% CI, 53.18-151.68, respectively). After treatment, the median ratio of monocytes to lymphocytes recovered to be nearly normal. Compared to other patients, patients with extrapulmonary tuberculosis and of age >60 years were more likely to have extreme ratio of monocytes to lymphocytes (AOR=2.57, 95% CI, 1.08-6.09; AOR=4.36, 95% CI, 1.43-13.29, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ratio of monocytes to lymphocytes <9% or >25% is predictive of active tuberculosis.
authors.affiliation: Center of Clinical Laboratory, The Fifth People's Hospital of Wuxi, Affiliated to Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China. Electronic address: j.wang1988@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Radiology Department, The Fifth People's Hospital of Wuxi, Affiliated to Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Yongmei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.affiliation: Center of Clinical Laboratory, The Fifth People's Hospital of Wuxi, Affiliated to Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Xuedong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Center of Clinical Laboratory, The Fifth People's Hospital of Wuxi, Affiliated to Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pei
authors.affiliation: Center of Clinical Laboratory, The Fifth People's Hospital of Wuxi, Affiliated to Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Shougang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kuai
authors.affiliation: Radiology Department, The Fifth People's Hospital of Wuxi, Affiliated to Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Lan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Medical Science, Medical College, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China.
authors.forename: Huiqin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xing
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Medical Science, Medical College, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China.
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Fifth People's Hospital of Wuxi, Affiliated to Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Qiusheng
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, The Fifth People's Hospital of Wuxi, Affiliated to Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Guan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008214:Lymphocytes; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009000:Monocytes; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers
keywords: Active tuberculosis; Lymphocytes; ML ratio; Monocytes