Relationship between Plasma Pentraxin-3, Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio, and Atherosclerosis in Renal Transplant Patients

EVALUATION OF THE ASSOCIATION OF PLASMA PENTRAXIN-3 LEVELS WITH CAROTID INTIMA-MEDIA THICKNESS AND HIGH-SENSITIVE CRP IN PATIENTS WITH SUBCLINICAL HYPOTHYROIDISM

Context

Inflammation-related markers may predict cardiovascular diseases.

Objective

In this study, it was aimed to assess pentraxin-3 (PTX-3) levels and its relationship with carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP) in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism.

Design

Prospective cross-sectional study.

Methods

This study included 60 patients (aged 30-60 years) with subclinical hypothyroidism and 30 healthy volunteers as controls. The demographic characteristics and anthropometric measurements were performed in all patients and controls. In addition, sonographic carotid artery examination, thyroid functional tests, lipid profile, hsCRP, and PTX-3 levels of the participants were investigated.

Results

The PTX-3, hsCRP levels and CIMT were higher in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism when compared to controls (p=0.008, p=0.001, p<0.001, respectively). The PTX-3 level was strongly correlated with hsCRP (r=0.865; p<0.001), but no such correlation was detected with CIMT (r=-0.255; p=0.50). In binominal logistic regression analysis, it was found that CIMT and serum uric acid levels were independent parameters associated with subclinical hypothyroidism. In ROC analysis, a cut-off value of >3.75 ng/mL for serum PTX-3 level predicted subclinical hypothyroidism with a sensitivity of 60% and specificity of 60.7% (AUC: 0.672, p=0.004).

Conclusion

Showing inflammation and endothelial dysfunction, the PTX-3 may be a helpful marker in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism associated with increased risk for cardiovascular disease.

Role of Systemic Inflammatory Markers in Pediatric Kidney Transplantation

BACKGROUND

Neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), systemic immune-inflammation index (SII = N × P/L), and neutrophil percentage-albumin ratio (NPAR) have become accepted markers of inflammation in recent years. These indices are used as indicators of disease activity, mortality, and morbidity in many diseases. This study evaluated the relationship between inflammatory indices and graft function in pediatric kidney transplant recipients.

METHODS

Medical records of pediatric patients who underwent kidney transplantation at Ege University between 1995 and 2020 were reviewed retrospectively. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory data were recorded during the third month, first year, and fifth year of transplantation and at the last visit.

RESULTS

The median age of the 119 patients (60 boys/59 girls) at the time of transplantation was 154 months, and the median follow-up period was 101 months. According to Spearman correlation analysis, patients' final creatinine levels were positively correlated with NLR (r = 0.319), PLR (r = 0.219), SII (r = 0.214), and NPAR (r = 0.347) of the last visit; final estimate glomerular filtration rate levels were negatively correlated with NLR (P = .010, r = -0.250) and NPAR (P = .004, r = -0.277). The median NPAR of the patients with chronic allograft dysfunction at the last visit was found to be statistically significantly higher than without (P = .032).

CONCLUSION

NLR, PLR, SII, and NPAR values are correlated with creatinine levels after 5 years of kidney transplantation. The NPAR and final creatinine levels had the highest correlation coefficient among these inflammatory markers. These results suggest that inflammatory markers, especially NPAR, may be a candidate to be an indicator of ongoing inflammation in the graft.

Efficacy of low-fat milk and yogurt fortified with vitamin D3 on systemic inflammation in adults with abdominal obesity

Background

The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency is increasing globally and is associated with an increased risk of metabolic syndrome, autoimmune disease, and cardiovascular disease. Vit D deficiency is also associated with increased systemic inflammation. The current study aimed to determine the efficacy of low-fat milk and yogurt fortified with 1500 IU nano-encapsulated vitamin D, on systemic inflammation in abdominal obese participants.

Method

This multi-center study was conducted using a 2.5-month parallel total-blind randomized clinical trial design. Two hundred and eighty nine subjects were allocated to four groups: low-fat milk fortified by 1500 IU nano-encapsulated vitamin D₃ (200 mL/day). Simple milk (200 mL/day), low-fat yogurt fortified by 1500 IU nano-encapsulated vitamin D₃ (150 g/day), and simple yogurt (150 g/day).

Results

The results showed that serum levels of neutrophils, lymphocytes, platelets and red blood cell distribution width (RDW) were significantly lower before and after the intervention in fortified dairy groups. The results showed that serum levels of neutrophils, lymphocytes, platelets, and RDW before and after intervention in the fortified dairy groups were significantly lower (p < 0.05). The values of = neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelets to lymphocyte ratio, and RDW to platelets ratio (RPR) reduced significantly in the fortification group (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

Fortification with nano-encapsulated vitamin D₃ of dairy products may decrease inflammation in individuals with abdominal obesity.

DEĞER M, KÖPRÜ B, DERİCİ Ü, ARINSOY T. High neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio predicts acute allograft rejection in kidney transplantation; a retrospective study

Background/aim

Our research focused on the identification of easily available and sensitive markers for early prediction of acute kidney allograft rejection (AR). We aimed to investigate the association between neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and AR in kidney transplant patients.

Materials and methods

The medical records of 51 kidney transplant patients [12 female/39 male; median age of 32 (IQR: 24–44) years] were evaluated retrospectively. We considered a cut-off value of >2.5 as high NLR.

Results

A total of 22 biopsy-proven AR patients and 29 controls were evaluated. The AR group had a higher NLR compared to the controls (P < 0.001). NLR levels over 2.5 [95% CI: 54.88 (9.96–302.3), P < 0.001] were significantly associated with AR in univariate analysis. The NLR levels were the only significant factor associated with AR in multivariate models, in model 1 (adjusted by age and sex) [95% CI: 114 (11.1–1175), P < 0.001], and in model 2 (adjusted by steroid dosage, uric acid, and NLR) [95% CI: 4.60 (1.59–29.3), P = 0.004].

Conclusions

Our data showed that higher NLR values (>2.5) are associated with AR in kidney transplant patients, leading to the conclusion that NLR might be an easily available and useful marker option for detection of AR in this patient population.

High Dose Supplementation of Vitamin D Affects Measures of Systemic Inflammation: Reductions in High Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein Level and Neutrophil to Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR) Distribution

The prevalence of Vitamin D deficiency is increasing worldwide, which has be shown to be associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), autoimmune disease, and metabolic syndrome. These conditions are also associated with a heightened state of inflammation. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the effect of vitamin D supplementation on serum C-Reactive Protein (CRP) level and Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) distribution in a large cohort of adolescent girls. A total of 580 adolescent girls were recruited follow by evaluation of CRP and hematological parameters before and after supplementation with vitamin D supplements as 9 of 50000 IU cholecalciferol capsules for 9 weeks taken at weekly intervals. At baseline, serum hs-CRP level was 0.9 (95%CI: 0.5-1.8), while this value after intervention was reduced to 0.8 (95%CI: 0.3-1.6; P = 0.007). Similar results were also detected for NLR (e.g., NLR level was 1.66 ± 0.72 and 1.53 ± 0.67, P = 0.002, before and after therapy with compliance rate of >95.2%). Moreover, we found an association between hs-CRP and BMI, triglyceride, white blood cell count, and lymphocytes. Interestingly we observed a significant reduction in neutrophil count and CRP level after high dose vitamin D supplementation. Our findings showed that the high dose supplementation of vitamin D affects measures of systemic inflammation: reductions in High Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein level and Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) distribution. J. Cell. Biochem. 118: 4317-4322, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio as a possible indicator of epicardial adipose tissue in patients undergoing hemodialysis

INTRODUCTION

Chronic inflammation is a major risk factor in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients. Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) is the true visceral fat depot of the heart. The relationship between coronary artery disease and EAT was shown in healthy subjects and ESRD patients. In the present study we aimed to investigate the relationship between EAT and inflammation parameters including neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in hemodialysis (HD) patients.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Forty-three HD patients (25 females, 18 males; mean age: 64.1 ±11.9 years) receiving HD and 30 healthy subjects (15 females, 15 males; mean age: 59.1 ±10.8 years) were enrolled in the study. Epicardial adipose tissue measurements were performed by echocardiography.

RESULTS

Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio levels were significantly higher in HD patients than in the healthy control group. Hemodialysis patients were separated into two groups according to their median value of NLR (group 1, NLR < 3.07 (n = 21) and group 2, NLR ≥ 3.07 (n = 22)). Group 2 patients had significantly higher EAT, C-reactive protein and ferritin levels, while albumin levels were significantly lower in this group. In the bivariate correlation analysis, EAT was positively correlated with NLR (r = 0.600, p < 0.001) and ferritin (r = 0.485, p = 0.001) levels.

CONCLUSIONS

Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio was found to be an independent predictor of EAT in HD patients (odds ratio = 3.178; p = 0.008). We concluded that this relationship might be attributed to increased inflammation in uremic patients.

Vitamin D and inflammation: evaluation with neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio

INTRODUCTION

Association of vitamin D, inflammation and endothelial dysfunction, beside the classic bone metabolism disorders, may explain the pathogenesis of numerous diseases associated with vitamin D deficiency. While large numbers of reports support the relationship of vitamin D with inflammation, several reports fail to confirm this relationship. Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) are novel and inexpensive markers of inflammation that can be studied in all centers. The goal of this study was to investigate the association between 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25(OH)D) and inflammation with the novel inflammatory markers NLR and PLR.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

This study was performed retrospectively. Results of the simultaneously performed 25(OH)D, parathyroid hormone, albumin, calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase and creatinine level measurements and complete blood count were recorded. The data of 4120 patients were included in the study.

RESULTS

Between vitamin D deficient and non-deficient groups there were significant differences in PLR (p < 0.001) and NLR (p = 0.001). Vitamin D had a significant negative correlation with PLR (p < 0.001) and NLR (p < 0.001). Multiple regression analysis indicated that 25(OH)D was independently and negatively correlated with PLR (OR = 0.994, 95% CI 0.991-0.998, p = 0.02).

CONCLUSIONS

Platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio and NLR were significantly associated with 25(OH)D levels, and PLR was found to be an independent predictor of 25(OH)D levels. Our study revealed an inverse association of vitamin D levels and inflammation with these inexpensive and universally available markers.

Neutrophil-Lymphocyte Ratio Is Significantly Decreased in Preemptive Renal Transplant Patients

AIM

Cardiovascular diseases and infections are the leading two causes of morbidity and mortality in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients. Kidney transplantation is the preferred method for renal replacement owing to better survival. There are reports of irreversibly damaged immune system in dialysis patients, which did not return to normal even after kidney transplantation. The neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is an easily applicable method for evaluation of inflammation. We hypothesized that preemptive kidney transplantation can improve inflammatory state compared with nonpreemptive recipients. To test our hypothesis, we retrospectively investigated pretransplant and posttransplant NLR and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels of ESRD patients and compared them with values in healthy controls.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed NLR, CRP, and other hematologic parameters of ESRD patients who were transplanted between January 2005 and January 2014 on the day of transplantation and at the end of first year. We grouped the patients as preemptive and nonpreemptive ones. We excluded patients with coronary artery disease, obesity, hypotension, hyperthyroidism, uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, hematologic or solid organ cancers, and active documented infection at any evaluation period.

RESULTS

We included 137 ESRD patient and 34 healthy control individual in our study. Of the 137 ESRD patients, 52 (38%) were transplanted preemptively. Of the patients, 85 were already on either hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis therapy at the time of transplantation. The white blood cell count value of the patient and control group (7246.72 ± 1460.26 and 76661.76 ± 1286.29, respectively; P = .43), NLR of the control group was significantly lower than patient group (1.98 ± 0.94 and 3.47 ± 2.33, respectively; P = .007). The NLR of the preemptive group was decreased substantially at the end of first year posttransplantation, the NLR of the preemptive group was significantly lower than the nonpreemptive group (3.08 ± 1.32 and 3.71 ± 2.33; P = .01).

CONCLUSIONS

We showed that all ESRD patients had an increased inflammation rate according to CRP and NLR when compared with healthy controls. We also found that improvement of inflammatory state in preemptive patients is significantly better than nonpreemptive patients at the end of first year evaluation.

The risk factors of cardiovascular disease in patients with renal transplantation

Objective: This study aims to observe the risk factors of cardiovascular disease in patients after kidney transplantation.

Methods: Total 102 patients after renal transplantation (group A) and 96 clinic examination cases (group B) were recruited. Blood pressure, blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine (Cr), blood glucose (GLU), total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and apolipoprotein A-I ( apoA-I ) of the subjects were tested. These indexes were tested 3 times in group A in the 1, 2, and 3 month after kidney transplantation surgery. Electrocardiogram examination was done in the third month after kidney transplantation surgery.

Results: There were significant differences in the incidence of hypertension, hyperglycemia and dyslipidemia between the two groups. After operation, the levels of BUN and Cr decreased significantly in 57 cases of group A without taking antihypertensive drugs (P<0.01). However, there was no significant difference in the blood pressure regardless of the systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) before and after operation. In group A, the abnormal rate of ECG was 65%, the incidence of ST-T changes, prolongation of QT interval, left ventricular hypertrophy and left ventricular high voltage increased significantly (P<0.01).

Conclusion: The incidence of coronary heart disease risk factors such as hypertension and hyperglycemia are high in patients after renal transplantation.

Association of epicardial adipose tissue, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio with diabetic nephropathy

BACKGROUND

The relationship between diabetic nephropathy, visceral adipose tissue (VAT), and inflammation has been shown. The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) are simple, inexpensive, and useful markers to determine inflammation. However, to date, in the literature, there have been no studies demonstrating the relationship between epicardial adipose tissue (EAT), inflammation, and albuminuria.

AIMS

We aimed to investigate the association between diabetic nephropathy, NLR, and PLR as inflammatory markers and EAT thickness.

METHODS

This was a cross-sectional study involving 200 diabetic patients. The patients were separated into three groups according to their albuminuria levels. The NLR and PLR were calculated from a complete blood count. EAT was measured by transthoracic echocardiography. The estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was calculated by the modification of diet in renal disease (MDRD) equation.

RESULTS

Disease duration, EAT, creatinine, NLR, PLR, absolute neutrophil, lymphocyte, and platelet count tended to increase with increasing albuminuria while the eGFR decreased. When patients were separated into two groups according to NLR and PLR medians, albuminuria levels increased with an increase of the NLR (p = 0.003) and PLR (p = 0.009). A correlation analysis showed that albuminuria was significantly correlated with EAT, disease duration, creatinine, eGFR, PLR, and NLR levels. Additionally, in a binary logistic regression analysis, EAT, NLR, and PLR were found to be independently associated with albuminuria.

CONCLUSIONS

Determining various inflammatory cytokines and measuring abdominal VAT in diabetic patients is complex and expensive. Simply measuring EAT and calculating NLR and PLR can predict inflammation and albuminuria in patients with diabetes.