Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio, stroke severity and short term clinical outcomes in acute ischemic stroke

Abstract

Background: Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio is an easily evaluated systemic inflammation indicator. However, there are limited reports on neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio and functional outcome in ischemic stroke. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the association of neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio and stroke severity, short term functional outcomes and mortality in patients with acute ischemic stroke.

Methods: The clinical data of patients who were > 18 age-old and hospitalized with acute ischemic stroke in Baskent University Hospital, Ankara, Turkey between January 2018 and May 2019 were studied retrospectively. Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio were measured. The neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio and National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score at admission, mortality during hospitalization and Modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score at discharge of the patients with acute ischemic stroke were correlated.

Results: Among the acute ischemic stroke patients due to the exclusion criteria, the data of 134 patients were evaluated. Median age of the patients were 76± 12.5 years and 82 patients (61.2%) were male. The median NIHSS scores of the patients at admission was 5±4.5. Mortality during the hospitalization was seen in 8 patients (6%). The median neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio value of the patients at admission were found to be 2.6±3.4. Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio and NIHSS scores of the patients at admission, duration of the hospitalization, mRS scores at discharge and mortality during hospitalization were found to be positively correlated.

Conclusion: Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio is a simple and easily measured marker and can be used as a potential indicator for prognosis in acute ischemic stroke. However further prospective multicenter investigations are required to confirm the role of neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio for predicting the prognosis in acute ischemic stroke patients.