Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) were associated with disease activity in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.
OBJECTIVE
Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) have recently been investigated as two new inflammatory markers used in the assessment of systemic inflammation in many diseases. The purpose of the study was to investigate their relation with disease activity in newly diagnosed SLE patients.


METHODS
The study population consisted of 116 SLE patients who did not receive any treatment and 136 healthy controls. We divided the patients into two groups according to the SLE Disease Activity Index 2000 (SLEDAI-2K) system. Group 1 included patients with a score of 9 and lower (patients with mild disease activity), and Group 2 included patients with a score of >9 (patients with severe disease activity). Correlations between NLR, PLR and disease activity were analyzed.


RESULTS
The NLR and PLR of SLE patients were significantly higher compared to those of the controls (both P<0.001). There was a statistically significant difference in NLR and PLR between Group 1 and Group 2 (both P<0.05). SLEDAI scores positively correlated with NLR (r=0.312, P<0.001) and PLR (r=0.298, P<0.001). Furthermore, SLE patients with nephritis had higher NLR levels than those without nephritis (P=0.027). Based on the ROC curve, the best NLR cut-off value to predict SLE patients with severe disease activity was 2.26, with 75% sensitivity and 50% specificity, whereas the best PLR cut-off value was 203.85, with 42.3% sensitivity and 83.9% specificity.


CONCLUSIONS
NLR and PLR were two useful inflammatory markers for assessment of disease activity in patients with SLE.
Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong, China.
Yunxiu
Y
Wu
Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong, China.
Yanjuan
Y
Chen
Department of Internal Medicine, Ward of the Shantou Third People's Hospital, Shantou, Guangdong, China.
Xianming
X
Yang
Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong, China.
Lishu
L
Chen
Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong, China. Electronic address: yangyihua206@163.com.
Yihua
Y
Yang
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000276:immunology*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D002452:Cell Count; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003176:Complement C3 / Q000378:metabolism; D003181:Complement C4 / Q000378:metabolism; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009393:Nephritis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000276:immunology*; D055815:Young Adult
D003176:Complement C3; D003181:Complement C4; D002097:C-Reactive Protein
Disease activity; Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio; Platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio; Systemic lupus erythematosus