• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.62 no.12
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• pp.438-439
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• 2019

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.84-91
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• 2021

Purpose: We aimed to study the association of plasma neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (pNGAL) and leukocyte differential count in children with febrile urinary tract infection (UTI). Methods: Medical records of 154 children aged 1 month to 13 years with febrile UTI who were hospitalized were retrospectively reviewed. Associations between pNGAL levels and blood leukocyte differential count at admission and after 48 hours of treatment were investigated in children with or without acute pyelonephritis (APN). Results: The APN group (n=82) showed higher pNGAL levels, neutrophil count, monocyte count, and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), compared to the non-APN group (n=72) (all P<0.05). After adjustment for age and sex, pNGAL showed positive correlations with neutrophil count and NLR in both groups (all P<0.05). Additionally, it was correlated with the monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR) only in the APN group (P<0.05). Before and after treatment, pNGAL was positively correlated with neutrophil count, NLR, and MLR in patients with APN while it was related with neutrophil count and NLR in those without APN (all P<0.05). Areas under the receiver operating curve of pNGAL, neutrophil count, NLR, and MLR for predicting APN were 0.804, 0.760, 0.730, and 0.636, respectively (all P<0.05). Only pNGAL was independently associated with the presence of APN in a multivariable logistic regression analysis (P<0.05). Conclusion: In children with febrile UTIs, pNGAL might be associated with leukocyte differential count and the presence of APN.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.56 no.2
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• pp.99-107
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• 2023

Background: The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has been suggested as a novel predictive marker of cardiovascular disease. However, its prognostic role in patients under-going coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is unclear. This study aimed to determine the association between the preoperative NLR and early mortality in patients undergoing CABG. Methods: Cardiac surgery was performed in 2,504 patients at Seoul St. Mary's Hospital from January 2010 to December 2021. This study retrospectively reviewed 920 patients who underwent isolated CABG, excluding those for whom the preoperative NLR was unavailable. The primary endpoints were the 30- and 90-day mortality after isolated CABG. Risk factor analysis was performed using logistic regression analysis. Based on the optimal cut-off value of preoperative NLR on the receiver operating characteristic curve, high and low NLR groups were compared. Results: The 30- and 90-day mortality rates were 3.8% (n=35) and 7.0% (n=64), respectively. In the multivariable analysis, preoperative NLR was significantly associated with 30-day mortality (odds ratio [OR], 1.28; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.17-1.39; p<0.001) and 90-day mortality (OR, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.07-1.28; p<0.001). The optimal cut-off value of the preoperative NLR was 3.4. Compared to the low NLR group (<3.4), the high NLR group (≥3.4) showed higher 30- and 90-day mortality rates (1.4% vs. 12.1%, p<0.001; 2.8% vs. 21.3%, p<0.001, respectively). Conclusion: Preoperative NLR was strongly associated with early mortality after isolated CABG, especially in patients with a high preoperative NLR (≥3.4). Further studies with larger cohorts are necessary to validate these results.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.9
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• pp.5237-5242
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• 2013

Background: Inflammation is a critical component of tumor progression. Many cancers arise from sites of infection, chronic irritation, and inflammation. It is now becoming clear that the tumour microenvironment, which is largely orchestrated by inflammatory cells, is an essential participant in the neoplastic process, promoting proliferation, survival and migration. Platelets can release some growth factors such as platelet-derived growth factor, platelet factor 4, and thrombospondin. Such factors have been shown to promote hematogenous tumour spread, tumor cell adhesion and invasion, and angiogenesis and to play an important role in tumor progression. In this study, we aimed to investigate effects of the pretreatment neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and the platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR) on survival and response to chemoradiotherapy in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Materials and Methods: Ninety-four patients with non-metastatic NSCLC were included and separated into two groups according to median valuse of NLR and PLR (low:<3.44 or high:${\geq}3.44$ and low:<194 or high${\geq}194$, respectively). Results: Pretreatment high NLR and PLR were associated with significantly shorter disease-free and overall survival rates. Multivariate analysis revealed that the overall survival rates were significantly linked with PLR (OR: 1.87, CI: 1.20-2.91, p: 0.006) and response to chemoradiotherapy (OR: 1.80, CI: 1.14-2.81, p: 0.012) and the disease-free survival rates were significantly associated with NLR (OR: 1.81, CI: 1.16-2.82, p: 0.009) and response to chemoradiotherapy (OR: 2.30, CI: 1.45-3.66, p: 0.001). There was no significant difference between patients with high and low NLR in terms of response to chemoradiotherapy. Similarly, there was no significant influence of the PLR. Conclusions: Pretreatment NLR and PLR measurements can provide important prognostic results in patients with NSCLC and assessment of the two parameters together appears to better predict the prognosis in patients with NSCLC. The effect of inflammation, indicators of NLR and PLR, on survival seems independent of the response to chemoradiotherapy.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.2089-2094
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• 2014

Background: Although many prognostic factors have been identified for lung cancers, new ones are needed to determine the course of the disease. Recently, a high neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) prior to surgery or treatment has been shown to be an indicator of prognosis for cancer. The aim of this study was to investigate the value of NLR as a prognostic factor and the correlation between NLR and other probable clinical prognostic factors in non small cell lung cancer patients prior to treatment. Materials and Methods: Data of patients who were diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer in our institution were retrospectively reviewed. Demographic and clinicopathologic characteristics were recorded. NLR was calculated before the application of any treatment. Results: A total of 299 patients, 270 (90%) males and 29 (10%) females, were included in the study. Age (p<0.001) stage (p<0.001), Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (p<0.001), weight loss (p<0.001), anemia (p<0.001), histopatology (p<0.001), NLR ${\geq}3$ (p=0.048), NLR ${\geq}4$ (p=0.025) and NLR ${\geq}5$ (p=0.018) were found to be the prognostic factors. Age, anemia, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status, the stage, NLR (${\geq}5$) were an independent prognostic factors. There was a positive correlation between NLR and the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (0.23, p=0.001), the C reactive protein levels (r=0.36, p<0.001). Conclusions: Prior to treatment high NLR was found as an independent poor prognosis factor. Besides, NLR correlated with Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status and the C reactive protein levels.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.196-197
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• 2013

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.1063-1063
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• 2014

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.2647-2650
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• 2014

Background: Colorectal cancers(CRC) are the third most common cancer in the western world, with surgery preferred for management of non-metastatic disease and post surgical treatment usually arranged according to the TNM staging system. However, there is still prognostic variation between patients who have the same stage. It is increasingly recognized that variations within disease course and clinical outcome in colorectal cancer patients are influenced by not only oncological characteristics of the tumor itself but also host response factors. Recent studies have shown correlation between the inflammatory response and clinical outcomes in various cancers. The neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has been described as a marker for immune response to various stimuli including cancer. Material-Methods: Two hundred eighty-one CRC patients were included in our retrospective analysis, separated into two groups according to a cut-off value for the NLR. Patient data including age, gender, vertical penetration, anatomic location, and differentiation of the tumor, TNM stage, survival rate, and disease-free survival were analyzed for correlations with the NLR. Results: Using ROC curve analysis, we determined a cut-off value of 2.2 for NLR to be best to discriminate between patient survival in the whole group. In univariate analysis, high pretreatment NLR (p=0.001, 95%CI 1.483-4.846), pathologic nodal stage (p<0.001, 95%CI 1.082-3.289) and advanced pathologic TNM stage (p<0.001, 95%CI 1.462-4.213) were predictive of shorter survival. In multivariate analysis, advanced pathologic TNM stage (p=0.001, 95%CI 1.303-26.542) and high pretreatment NLR (p=0.005, 95%CI 1.713-6.378) remained independently associated with poor survival. Conclusions: High pre-treatment NLR is a significant independent predictor of shorter survival in patients with colorectal cancer. This parameter is a simple, easily accessible laboratory value for identifying patients with poorer prognosis.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.24
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• pp.10883-10885
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• 2015

Purpose: Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) was evaluated as a potential prognostic factor in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). Materials and Methods: Between December 2009 and April 2014, 14 female (35%) and 26 male (65%) MDS patients who were followed up in our hematology clinic were included in the study for NLR during diagnosis. Division was into two groups according to the NLR, and the correlation with mortality was evaluated. The prognostic significance of NLR regarding treatment outcome was also evaluated with adjustment for known confounding risk factors. Results: The mortality rate of the patient group was 55%, and median survival was 18 months. There was no significant correlation between mortality and NLR at a median value of 1.8 (p=0.75). Thrombocytopenia was observed to increase mortality (p=0.027), and there was a significant correlation between mortality and pancytopenia (p=0.017). Conclusions: This first study of NLR and mortality did not show any significant correlation. In centres with limited access to genetic evaluation for the presence of pancytopenia and/or thrombocytopenia at the time of diagnosis, a platelet level less than $50{\times}10^9/l$ may be poor prognostic markers in MDS patients.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.59 no.3
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• pp.139-144
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• 2016

Purpose: Acute pyelonephritis (APN) is a serious bacterial infection that can cause renal scarring in children. Early identification of APN is critical to improve treatment outcomes. The neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is a prognostic marker of many diseases, but it has not yet been established in urinary tract infection (UTI). The aim of this study was to determine whether NLR is a useful marker to predict APN or vesicoureteral reflux (VUR). Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 298 pediatric patients ($age{\leq}36months$) with febrile UTI from January 2010 to December 2014. Conventional infection markers (white blood cell [WBC] count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate [ESR], C-reactive protein [CRP]), and NLR were measured. Results: WBC, CRP, ESR, and NLR were higher in APN than in lower UTI (P<0.001). Multiple logistic regression analyses showed that NLR was a predictive factor for positive dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) defects (P<0.001). The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was high for NLR (P<0.001) as well as CRP (P<0.001) for prediction of DMSA defects. NLR showed the highest area under the ROC curve for diagnosis of VUR (P<0.001). Conclusion: NLR can be used as a diagnostic marker of APN with DMSA defect, showing better results than those of conventional markers for VUR prediction.