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. 2019 Mar;19(1):1602-1606.
doi: 10.4314/ahs.v19i1.35.

Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio as an indicative of diabetic control level in type 2 diabetes mellitus

Tuba T Duman  1 , Gulali Aktas  1 , Burcin M Atak  1 , Mehmet Z Kocak  1 , Edip Erkus  1 , Haluk Savli  1
Affiliations

Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio as an indicative of diabetic control level in type 2 diabetes mellitus

Tuba T Duman et al. Afr Health Sci. 2019 Mar.

Abstract

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus is associated with chronic low grade inflammation. One of the novel inflammatory markers is hemogram derived neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR).

Objective: We aimed to compare NLR levels of diabetic subjects and healthy controls and to observe possible correlation between NLR and HbA1c.

Methods: Medical data of type 2 diabetic subjects admitted to out-patient clinics of our institution between April to July in 2017 were obtained from database and retrospectively analyzed. Control group was chosen from healthy subjects who visited our institution for a routine check-up. Anthropometric measures, laboratory data, including, HbA1c, NLR were recorded.

Results: Median NLR of the type 2 DM group 2.44 (1.9) was significantly elevated when compared to healthy controls (1.5 (0.9), (p<0.001). In addition, a Pearson's correlation test revealed that NLR was strongly correlated with age (r=0.26, p=0.008), fasting plasma glucose (r=0.38, p<0.001), and HbA1c (r=0.49, p<0.001).

Conclusion: Elevated NLR in otherwise healthy subjects may be indicative of underlying impaired glucose metabolism and moreover, NLR should be used as a marker of diabetic control level in addition to HbA1c in type 2 diabetic subjects.

Keywords: HbA1c; Type 2 diabetes mellitus; inflammation; neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Correlation between HbA1c and NLR
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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