Neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio behavior in patients with chronic autoimmune rheumatic diseases
Keywords:
Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, autoimmune rheumatic diseases, systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, biomarkerAbstract
Introduction: The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio is an accessible and low-cost biomarker that has shown utility in assessing inflammatory activity in various pathologies, including chronic autoimmune rheumatic diseases. This study describes the behavior of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in Cuban patients with chronic autoimmune rheumatic diseases.
Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted in 27 patients with chronic autoimmune rheumatic diseases (systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, spondyloarthropathies, and psoriasis) from two Cuban hospitals. neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio was calculated from blood counts and correlated with disease activity and erythrocyte sedimentation rate.
Results: The overall mean neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio was 4.8 (SD=1.1). Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus had the highest neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (6.3 ± 0.7), followed by RA (4.7 ± 0.9). A positive and significant correlation was found between NLR and disease activity in all conditions (p < 0.05). The correlation between neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and erythrocyte sedimentation rate was significant in systemic lupus erythematosus (r=0.827; p=0.005) and rheumatoid arthritis (r=0.732; p=0.011).
Conclusion: neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio correlates significantly with inflammatory activity in chronic autoimmune rheumatic diseases, particularly in systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis, supporting its use as a complementary marker in clinical practice.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Roger Armando Somoza Delgado, José Pedro Martínez Larrarte , Silvia María Pozo Abreu, Ana Marta López Mantecón, Eneida Barrios Lamoth
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