Korean J Intern Med.  2016 Nov;31(6):1093-1100. 10.3904/kjim.2015.199.

Blood count parameters can predict the severity of coronary artery disease

• Uysal HB
• DaÄŸlı B
• Akgüllü
• Avcil M
• Zencir C
• Ayhan M
• Sönmez HM

• KMID: 2382859
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3904/kjim.2015.199

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS
Because of the inflammatory nature of coronary artery disease (CAD), both platelets and white blood cells have been investigated for years. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationships between some prominently hematologic blood count parameters (mean platelet volume [MPV], neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio [NLR]) and the severity of CAD by using Gensini scores.
METHODS
A total of 194 patients, who had undergone coronary angiography, enrolled in this study. The control group consisted of 42 patients who had normal coronary arteries. Remaining CAD patients were divided into two groups according to their Gensini scores.
RESULTS
NLR and MPV were higher in the severe atherosclerosis group compared with the mild atherosclerosis group (p = 0.007, p = 0.005, respectively). The Gensini score showed significant correlations with NLR (r = 0.20, p = 0.011), MPV (r = 0.23, p = 0.004) and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (r = -0.161, p = 0.047). Using a cut-off level of 2.54, NLR predicted severe atherosclerosis with a sensitivity of 74% and specificity of 53% (area under curve [AUC], 0.627; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.545 to 0.704; p = 0.004). MPV values above 10.4 predicted severe atherosclerosis with a sensitivity of 39% and specificity of 90% (AUC, 0.631; 95% CI, 0.549 to 0.708; p = 0.003). In the multiple logistic regression analysis, high levels of NLR (odds ratio [OR], 1.450; 95% CI, 1.080 to 1.945; p = 0.013) and MPV (OR, 1.622; 95% CI, 1.147 to 2.295; p = 0.006) were found to be independent predictors of severe atherosclerosis.
CONCLUSIONS
Our study suggests that both NLR and MPV are predictors of severe atherosclerosis and may be used for the prediction and identification of cardiac risks in CAD patients.

Keyword

Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio; Mean platelet volume; Gensini score; Coronary artery disease

MeSH Terms

Atherosclerosis
Blood Platelets
Cholesterol, HDL
Coronary Angiography
Coronary Artery Disease*
Coronary Vessels*
Humans
Leukocytes
Logistic Models
Lymphocytes
Mean Platelet Volume
Neutrophils
Sensitivity and Specificity
Cholesterol, HDL