Usefulness of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio as a predictor of functional outcome in patients with acute ischemic stroke after thrombolysis therapy

Sadaf Majid; Omair Ul Haq Lodhi; Asfandyar Khan Niazi; Somair Ul Haq Lodhi; Maimoona Siddiqui

doi:10.1080/08998280.2021.1938471

Usefulness of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio as a predictor of functional outcome in patients with acute ischemic stroke after thrombolysis therapy

Proc (Bayl Univ Med Cent). 2021 Jun 29;34(6):664-667. doi: 10.1080/08998280.2021.1938471. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Sadaf Majid¹, Omair Ul Haq Lodhi¹, Asfandyar Khan Niazi¹, Somair Ul Haq Lodhi¹, Maimoona Siddiqui¹

Affiliation

¹ Department of Neurology, Shifa International Hospital, Islamabad, Pakistan.

Abstract

In stroke patients, a high neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has been associated with poor functional outcome at 3 months, higher mortality, and a higher hemorrhagic transformation. We assessed the role of NLR in patients with acute ischemic stroke who received thrombolysis. The charts of 98 patients treated between 2015 and 2019 were retrospectively reviewed. The mean NLR was compared using an independent Student's t test. At 3 months, a good functional outcome was seen in 31 patients (32%) and a poor functional outcome was seen in 67 patients (68%). Patients with NLR >2.39 had a poor functional outcome (odds ratio 2.7; 95% confidence interval 1.11-6.39; P < 0.02). Our study revealed that patients who present with acute ischemic stroke and have an increased NLR at the time of administration of thrombolysis have a poor functional outcome at 3 months.

Keywords: Acute ischemic stroke; developing country; functional outcome; neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio; thrombolysis.