Causes of variation in the neutrophil-lymphocyte and platelet-lymphocyte ratios: a twin-family study.
OBJECTIVE
Neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) are biomarkers for disease development, for whom little is known about causes of variation in the general population.


METHODS
We estimated the heritability of PLR and NLR and examined their association with gender, demographic, lifestyle and environmental factors in a Dutch nonpatient twin family population (n = 8108).


RESULTS
Heritability was estimated at 64% for PLR and 36% for NLR. Men had on average higher NLR, but lower PLR levels than women. PLR and NLR increased significantly with age, decreased in colder months and showed small but significant sex- and age-specific associations with body composition and smoking.


CONCLUSIONS
NLR and PLR levels are heritable and influenced by age, sex and environmental factors, such as seasonal conditions and lifestyle.
Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Bochao D
BD
Lin
Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.|EMGO+ Institute for Health & Care Research, VU Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Jouke-Jan
JJ
Hottenga
Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Abdel
A
Abdellaoui
Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Conor V
CV
Dolan
Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.|EMGO+ Institute for Health & Care Research, VU Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Eco J C
EJC
de Geus
Good Biomarker Sciences, Leiden, The Netherlands.
Cornelis
C
Kluft
Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.|EMGO+ Institute for Health & Care Research, VU Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Dorret I
DI
Boomsma
Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.|EMGO+ Institute for Health & Care Research, VU Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Gonneke
G
Willemsen
BMI; NLR; PLR; age; heritability; sex differences; smoking; weather conditions
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