Role of neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio in the prognosis of acute ischaemic stroke after reperfusion therapy : a systematic review and meta-analysis

Divyansh Sharma, Kevin J. Spring, Sonu M. M. Bhaskar

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Abstract

Background: Inflammation may mediate response to acute reperfusion therapy (RT) in acute cerebral ischaemia. Neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), an inflammatory biomarker, may play an important role in acute ischaemic stroke (AIS) prognostication. Objective: This meta-analysis sought to examine the effect of NLR on functional outcomes, mortality and adverse outcomes in AIS patients receiving RT. Methods: Individual studies were retrieved from PubMed/Medline, EMBASE and Cochrane databases. Data were extracted using a standardised data sheet and meta-analysis on association of admission (pre-RT) or delayed (post-RT) NLR with clinical/safety outcomes after RT was conducted. Results: Thirty-five studies (n = 10 308) were identified for the systematic review with 27 (n = 8537) included in the meta-analyses. Lower admission NLR was associated with good functional outcomes (GFOs), defined as 3-month modified Rankin scale (mRS) 0–2 (SMD = −.46; 95% CI = −.62 to −.29; P <.0001), mRS 0–1 (SMD = −.44; 95% CI = −.66 to −.22; P <.0001) and early neurological improvement (ENI) (SMD = −.55; 95 %CI = −.84 to −.25; P <.0001). Lower delayed admission NLR was also associated with GFOs (SMD = −.80; 95%CI = −.91 to −.68; P <.0001). Higher admission NLR was significantly associated with mortality (SMD =.49; 95%CI =.12 to.85; P =.009), intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) (SMD =.34; 95% CI =.09 to.59; P =.007), symptomatic ICH (sICH) (SMD =.48; 95% CI =.07 to.90; P =.022) and stroke-associated infection or pneumonia (SMD =.85; 95% CI =.50, 1.19; P <.0001). Higher delayed NLR was significantly associated with sICH (SMD = 1.40; 95% CI =.60 to 2.19; P =.001), ICH (SMD =.94; 95% CI =.41 to 1.46; P <.0001) and mortality (SMD = 1.12; 95% CI =.57 to 1.67; P <.0001). There were variations in outcomes across RT groups. Conclusion: Higher admission or delayed NLR is significantly associated with worse morbidity, mortality and safety outcomes in AIS patients receiving RT.
Original languageEnglish
Number of pages21
JournalJournal of Central Nervous System Disease
Volume14
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2022

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This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits non-commercial use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission provided the original work is attributed as specified on the SAGE and Open Access pages (https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/open-access-at-sage).

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