Albumin-to-Globulin Ratio at 1 Year after Anti-Tumor Necrosis Factor α Therapy Can Serve as a Prognostic Biomarker in Pediatric Crohn's Disease Patients

Comparative Evaluation of Peripheral Blood Neutrophil to Lymphocyte Ratio, Serum Albumin to Globulin Ratio and Serum C-Reactive Protein to Albumin Ratio in Dogs with Inflammatory Protein-Losing Enteropathy and Healthy Dogs

Few routinely available biomarkers are clinically useful in assessing dogs with inflammatory protein-losing enteropathy caused by immunosuppressive-responsive enteropathy (IRE-PLE). Only the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has been studied, while no information exists on the use of the albumin to globulin ratio (AGR) and C-reactive protein to albumin ratio (CRP/ALB). We aimed to evaluate the clinical significance of the NLR, AGR and CRP/ALB in a population of dogs with IRE-PLE. The medical records of 53 IRE-PLE dogs were reviewed at the time of diagnosis (T0) and 1 month after the initiation of immunosuppressants (T1). A control group of 68 healthy dogs was used for comparison. At T0, the median values of the NLR and AGR of sick dogs were significantly higher and lower than those of healthy dogs, respectively. With the increase in the chronic enteropathy activity index, AGR and CRP/ALB significantly decreased and increased, respectively. At T1, NLR and AGR significantly increased, while CRP/ALB significantly decreased. NLR, AGR and CRP/ALB did not differ significantly between dogs classified as responders and nonresponders according to the chronic enteropathy activity index. Further studies are needed to provide more information on this subject.

Clinical significance of albumin to globulin ratio among patients with stroke-associated pneumonia

Background

It has been proven that the ratio of albumin to globulin (A/G) is a typical biomarker for monitoring inflammation and nutritional status. But the potential role of A/G in stroke-associated pneumonia (SAP) after acute ischemic stroke (AIS) remained unknown.

Patients and methods

Following inclusion criteria, 5,173 AIS patients were included and segmented into SAP (n = 897) and non-SAP (n = 4,276) groups. The differences in variables between groups were compared. The logistic regression model was used to determine the association between A/G and SAP, and a forest plot was drawn.

Results

Compared with the non-SAP group, the SAP group had a lower A/G level (P < 0.001). Then, A/G was divided into quartiles. In comparison to Q3 (A/G = 1.25–1.39), logistic regression revealed that patients with a lower A/G (A/G ≤ 1.09) had a higher risk of SAP (OR = 1.96, 95% CI, 1.56–2.46, P < 0.001). On the contrary, those with a higher A/G (A/G ≥ 1.4) had a lower SAP risk (OR = 0.73, 95% CI, 0.54–0.97, P = 0.029).

Conclusion

The study revealed that a low A/G level was associated with an increased SAP risk. Appropriate preventative measures for SAP should be taken in AIS patients with a low A/G level.