Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte and Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratios in COVID-19 Patients and Control Group and Relationship with Disease Prognosis

Authors

Mohammad Eslamijouybari 1, Keyvan Heydari 2, Iradj Maleki 3, Mahmood Moosazadeh 4, Akbar Hedayatizadeh-Omran 1, Lale Vahedi 5, Roya Ghasemian 6, Ali Sharifpour 7, Reza Alizadeh-Navaei 1

  1. Gastrointestinal Cancer Research Center, Non-Communicable Diseases Institute, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
  2. Student Research Committee, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
  3. Gut and Liver Research Center, Non-Communicable Diseases Institute, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
  4. Health Sciences Research Center, Addiction Institute, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
  5. Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
  6. Antimicrobial Resistance Research Center, Communicable Diseases Institute, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
  7. Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
Caspian J Intern Med

Abstract

Background: The present study aimed to compare the complete blood count (CBC) indices between COVID-19 patients and the control group, and assess the relationship of these indices with COVID-19 prognosis.

Methods: COVID-19 patients (confirmed by PCR or CT-Scan) who visited Imam Hospital in Sari were selected in this case-control study. The control group was selected from Tabari cohort population matched with the case group in terms of gender and age. CBC, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and outcome of the disease (in the case group) were assessed in this study.

Results: The number of participants were 527 in both case and control groups, of which, 232 (44%) were females in each arms. Platelet count, lymphocyte count, and hemoglobin concentration were also higher in the control group (P=0.000). NLR and PLR were significantly higher in COVID-19 patients compared to the control group (P=0.000). NLR had a significant relationship with the severity of the disease. NLR was two times higher in the patients who died of COVID-19 than those who recovered (P=0.000). ROC curve analysis for diagnostic values of NLR and PLR showed that the areas under the ROC curves for NLR and PLR were 0.703 (95% CI: 0.64-0.76) and 0.535 (95% CI: 0.46-06), respectively.

Conclusion: NLR can be used as a prognostic marker for COVID-19 given the significant difference of NLR between those who died and recovered from COVID-19.

Keywords: COVID-19; Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte ratio; Platelet-to-Lymphocyte ratio; Prognosis.

How to Cite

Eslamijouybari M, Heydari K, Maleki I, Moosazadeh M, Hedayatizadeh-Omran A, Vahedi L, Ghasemian R, Sharifpour A, Alizadeh-Navaei R. Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte and Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratios in COVID-19 Patients and Control Group and Relationship with Disease Prognosis. Caspian J Intern Med. 2020 Fall;11(Suppl 1):531-535. doi: 10.22088/cjim.11.0.531. PMID: 33425271; PMCID: PMC7780872.

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Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte and Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratios in COVID-19 Patients and Control Group and Relationship with Disease Prognosis

Tags: COVID-19, Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte ratio, Platelet-to-Lymphocyte ratio, Prognosis.