Monocyte to high-density lipoprotein ratio and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio in trigeminal neuralgia patients: A retrospective cohort study

Abstract

Background/Aim: Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a prevalent cranial nerve disorder. While inflammation has been implicated in neuropathic pain in numerous recent studies, its role in TN has remained uncertain. Given the increasing significance of neuroinflammation, this study aims to explore the association between inflammation and TN and to assess whether there are disparities in the monocyte to high-density lipoprotein ratio (MHR) and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) values between TN patients and healthy individuals. There is a dearth of literature concerning the link with MHR, a parameter extensively studied in cardiac research but unexplored in the context of TN. Methods: This retrospective cohort study encompassed 48 patients diagnosed with classical TN and 40 healthy controls treated at the neurology and pain clinic of Dokuz Eylül University. Demographic and clinical variables, such as age and gender, along with monocyte, neutrophil, lymphocyte, and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels, were retrospectively retrieved from medical records. Inflammation markers, namely MHR and NLR, were calculated. Nonparametric tests were employed to compare these markers between TN patients and healthy controls. Results: Regarding sociodemographic data, the average age of the patient group was 59.8, while that of the healthy group was 47.4. A significant age difference was observed between the patient and healthy groups (P<0.001). However, no significant differences between the groups regarding MHR or NLR values were detected. Conclusions: These findings may suggest the presence of an inflammatory process characterized by local neurogenic inflammation in the pathophysiology of TN. Further comprehensive studies are required to assess the utility of MHR as a readily applicable marker in neurological disorders with neuroinflammatory and neuropathic pain etiologies.