Neutrophil to Lymphocyte Ratio in Sickle Cell Anaemia Patients with Nephropathy

Abstract

Background: Sickle cell anaemia (SCA) is associated with a chronic inflammatory component; blood neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has been described as a marker of organ dysfunction and clinical outcome in diseases associated with systemic inflammation. Objective: To evaluate NLR in Nigerian SCA patients with nephropathy. Methods: Seventy-nine (79) SCA patients in steady state and 50 aged-matched controls were prospectively enrolled for this study. Full blood count and dip-stick macro-albuminuria were done for each participant and data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The level of statistical significance was defined as p ≤ 0.05. Results: The NLR was significantly higher in cases compared with controls (1.49±0.76 vs. 1.20±0.34, P=0.01) and the ANC was significantly higher in those with NLR ≥ 3.0 compared with those with NLR <3.0 (12.22±5.26x109/L vs. 6.10±2.96x109/L, respectively, P<0.001). Between cases with and without macro-albuminuria and controls, the means of NLR was significantly different (P=0.024). Macro-albuminuria was present in 16 (21.9%) of cases (all of which had NLR <3.0), this was not significantly correlated with NLR (r=-0.99, P=0.71). Conclusion: No significant relationship was observed between NLR and SCA nephropathy.