Neutrophils and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio: Inflammatory markers associated with intimal-media thickness of atherosclerosis

Abstract

IntroductionCardiac-cerebral vascular diseases (CCVDs) are global health problems due to the characteristic of high mortality. It is found that atherosclerosis (AS), a main cause of CCVDs, is significantly relevant to the change of intimal and media thickness. Neutrophil count (NEU) and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (N/L) are recognized possible risk factors for atherosclerosis (AS). However, there are few studies on the separate relationship between carotid intimal thickness, media thickness and NEU, N/L. This study explored the respective effects of NEU and N/L on AS and intimal, media thickness. Materials and methodsThe χ2, Spearman's rho test, and multiple linear regression were implemented to analyze the relevance between blood parameters and intimal-media thickness. The potential factors, affecting non-depression time (NDT), is identified by univariate Cox regression. ROC curve was performed to determine the ability of blood parameters to predict intimal-media thickness. Immunohistochemistry was implemented. Results and conclusionBased on χ2, Spearman's rho test and multiple linear regression, NEU is related with intimal thickness (P < 0.05). Furthermore, NEU can predict the intimal thickness through the ROC curve. What's more, N/L is a risk factor of carotid media thickness (P < 0.05) by the Spearman's rho test, and is also correlated with poor NDT (P < 0.05) based on univariate Cox proportional regression analysis. Through ROC curve, N/L can predict the carotid media thickness. The carotid atherosclerotic endarterium is richest in macrophagocytes, and the arrangement of endotheliocytes is disordered. In summary, the increased NEU and N/L respectively have a strong correlation and precise predictability for carotid intimal and media thickness of atherosclerosis.