Neutrophil lymphocyte ratio can be a valuable marker in defining disease activity in patients who have started antitumor necrosis factor (tnf) drugs for ankylosing spondylitis

Abstract

Objective: Neutrophil lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has emerged as a valuable and reliable method for follow-up of systemic inflammatory disease. We herein aimed to evaluate the role of NLR in the clinical follow-up of inflammation and also to compare its relationship with other measures, such as erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), and Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI).Material and Methods: A total of 35 active ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and 38 healthy volunteers were included in the study. The patient group was enrolled for treatment with one anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) drug. Total blood count, ESR, CRP, and BASDAI score were obtained before and 3 months following the treatment. NLR was found with a mathematical calculation of the ratio of neutrophils with lymphocytes.Results: The mean NLR value of the control group and patients was 1.90 +/- 0.89 and 2.67 +/- 1.17, respectively (p< 0.05). After a 3-month course of treatment, the patient group had a mean NLR value of 1.8 +/- 0.7, which was significantly lower than pretreatment values (p< 0.001). The posttreatment mean ESR, CRP, and BASDAI scores were significantly lower than mean baseline scores (p< 0.001, p= 0.007, p< 0.001, respectively). Also, NLR was found to be correlated with BASDAI, ESR, and CRP (r= 0.388, p< 0.001; r= 0.455, p< 0.0001; and r= 0.3389, p< 0.005, respectively).Conclusion: Neutrophil lymphocyte ratio could be a reliable and easily accessible method for follow-up of patients with AS.