Background
Methods
Study population
Assessment of clinical parameters
Evaluation of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and other inflammatory markers
Questionnaires on health-related quality of life
Statistical analysis
Results
Characteristics of the study population
COPD | |
---|---|
Number | 274 |
Gender, female, n (%) | 17 (6.2) |
Age, years | 72.2 ± 7.9 |
Smoking Index, pack-years | 55.2 ± 29.7 |
Current smokers, n (%) | 26 (9.6) |
BMI, kg/m2 | 22.9 ± 3.1 |
FEV1/FVC, % | 52.4 ± 12.3 |
% FEV1, % | 63.3 ± 21.1 |
GOLD grade 1/2/3/4, n (%) | 63/134/61/16 (23.0/48.9/22.3/5.8) |
Baseline CAT score | 12.2 ± 8.0 |
LAMA, n (%) | 170 (62.0) |
LABA, n (%) | 136 (49.6) |
ICS, n (%) | 93 (33.9) |
Dose of ICSa, μg/day, median | 500 |
WBC, n | 6208 ± 1566 |
Neutrophil, % | 60.3 ± 8.9 |
Neutrophil, n | 3797 ± 1320 |
Lymphocyte, % | 29.2 ± 8.2 |
Lymphocyte, n | 1770 ± 553 |
NLR | 2.1(1.6–2.7) |
Eosinophil, % | 3.4 ± 2.6 |
Eosinophil, n | 204 ± 150 |
GOLD COPD grade | NLR |
---|---|
1 | 1.9 (1.4–2.4) |
2 | 2.1 (1.5–2.6) |
3 | 2.3 (2.0–3.0)* |
4 | 2.7 (1.9–5.3) |
Comparison of patient characteristics based on baseline NLR
NLR < 2.7 | NLR ≥ 2.7 | p-value | |
---|---|---|---|
Number | 199 | 66 | |
Gender, female, n (%) | 14 (7.0) | 3 (4.6) | 0.474 |
Age, years | 71.6 ± 8.1 | 74.0 ± 7.1 | 0.037 |
Smoking Index, pack-years | 53.7 ± 28.8 | 59.9 ± 33.8 | 0.159 |
Current smokers, n (%) | 21 (10.7) | 4 (6.1) | 0.270 |
BMI, kg/m2 | 23.2 ± 2.9 | 22.0 ± 3.4 | 0.005 |
FEV1/FVC, (%) | 53.8 ± 11.8 | 48.9 ± 13.3 | 0.005 |
% FEV1, (%) | 66.5 ± 20.4 | 55.8 ± 21.3 | 0.0003 |
LAA%, (%) | 11.3 (5.0–23.3) | 18.4 (6.4–28.7) | 0.093 |
WA%, (%) | 52.4 (47.4–57.7) | 54.9 (46.4–59.8) | 0.416 |
Baseline CAT score | 11.5 ± 8.0 | 13.9 ± 7.7 | 0.039 |
SGRQ total score | 24.8 ± 18.0 | 36.2 ± 19.1 | < 0.001 |
LAMA, n (%) | 120 (60.3) | 44 (66.7) | 0.356 |
LABA, n (%) | 94 (47.2) | 40 (60.6) | 0.060 |
ICS, n (%) | 63 (31.7) | 28 (42.4) | 0.111 |
Dose of ICSa, μg/day, median | 500 | 500 | 0.980 |
Eosinophil, (%) | 3.6 ± 2.6 | 2.9 ± 2.4 | 0.080 |
Eosinophil, n | 209 ± 149 | 188 ± 153 | 0.318 |
Relationship between NLR and other inflammatory markers
Determinant factors of NLR
Odds ratio (95% CI) | P-value | |
---|---|---|
Age | 1.04 (0.99–1.08) | 0.063 |
BMI < 18.5 | 2.95 (1.22–7.09) | 0.016 |
% FEV1 < 50% | 2.35 (1.25–4.41) | 0.008 |
CRP | 1.89 (1.08–3.28) | 0.008 |
Comparison of comorbidity prevalence according to the baseline NLR
n (%) | NLR < 2.7 | NLR ≥ 2.7 | p-value |
---|---|---|---|
Benign prostatic hyperplasia | 30 (15.3) | 10 (15.2) | 0.976 |
Tuberculosis | 17 (8.7) | 5 (7.6) | 0.781 |
Arteriosclerosis obliterans | 1 (0.5) | 2 (3.0) | 0.096 |
Aortic aneurysm | 7 (3.6) | 2 (3.0) | 0.835 |
Arrhythmia | 23 (11.7) | 6 (9.1) | 0.554 |
Heart failure | 13 (6.6) | 2 (3.0) | 0.276 |
Coronary artery disease | 23 (11.7) | 8 (12.1) | 0.933 |
Peptic ulcer disease | 13 (6.6) | 4 (6.1) | 0.870 |
Dyslipidemia | 35 (17.9) | 10 (15.2) | 0.614 |
Diabetes mellitus | 30 (15.3) | 8 (12.1) | 0.525 |
Hypertension | 71 (36.2) | 23 (34.9) | 0.840 |
Interstitial pneumonia | 38 (26.8) | 12 (35.3) | 0.322 |
Pneumothorax | 10 (5.1) | 3 (4.6) | 0.857 |
Hyperuricemia | 16 (8.2) | 6 (9.1) | 0.814 |
Cerebral infarction | 11 (5.6) | 5 (7.6) | 0.565 |
Asthma (Asthma COPD overlap) | 38 (19.5) | 16 (24.2) | 0.410 |
Depression | 15 (7.7) | 9 (14.1) | 0.124 |
Cancer | 36 (18.4) | 19 (28.7) | 0.072 |
Cataract | 58 (38.7) | 24 (53.3) | 0.081 |
Longitudinal changes in NLR over 3 years
Relationship between NLR and COPD exacerbation over 3 years
Comparison of receiver-operator curves for NLR, neutrophil and lymphocyte counts, and other biomarkers to stratify the severity of airflow limitation and predict future exacerbations
Exacerbation | AUC (95% CI) |
NLR | 63.4 (55.0–71.7) |
Neutrophil count | 55.2 (46.3–64.2) |
Lymphocyte count | 59.2 (50.8–67.6) |
Eosinophil count | 51.2 (41.9–60.6) |
CRP | 54.3 (45.2–63.4) |
SAA | 59.4 (50.5–68.3) |
% FEV1 < 50% | AUC (95% CI) |
NLR | 64.2 (56.9–71.6) |
Neutrophil count | 55.3 (47.3–63.2) |
lymphocyte count | 59.8 (52.3–67.3) |
Eosinophil count | 51.5 (43.4–59.6) |
CRP | 55.5 (47.7–63.5) |
SAA | 57.7 (49.8–65.6) |