A peripheral blood biomarker estimates probability of survival: the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio in noncancer patients

Aim: Inflammatory biomarkers are associated with aging and disease-specific outcomes. We propose neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) informs survival in a noncancer-bearing population. Patients & methods: Retrospective cohort study of patients with a noncancer diagnosis. Calculation of NLR, ascertainment of age, gender, race, cardiovascular disease and diabetes status, and association with survival was determined. Results: Elevated NLR was associated with worse overall survival, independent of age, gender and comorbid status. Overall survival was significantly worse for patients with high versus low NLR. Conclusion: Elevated NLR is associated with worse overall survival in noncancer patients. It remains unclear whether NLR reflects an acute inflammatory state, depressed host immune competence or both. NLR may simply be another predictor of survival, or potentially a modifiable risk factor.