Clinical utility of blood neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio in Japanese COPD patients.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is a biomarker of inflammation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. But, a meaningful threshold and the longitudinal changes are unknown. We aimed to investigate the association between NLR and the clinical characteristics of COPD patients and to determine a meaningful threshold and the longitudinal changes for NLR. METHODS:Keio University and its affiliate hospitals conducted an observational COPD cohort study over 3 years. We performed a blood examination and a pulmonary function test. Blood examination was completed at baseline and annually thereafter, at a time when the disease was stable. Two hundred seventy-four patients who had at least 3 blood examinations over 3 years were included. RESULTS:Baseline NLR was corre

SUBMITTER: Sakurai K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5932787 | biostudies-literature | 2018 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature