Usefulness of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio to prediction of type 2 diabetes mellitus in morbid obesity

• Published in: Diabetes & metabolic syndrome clinical research & reviews 2015-10, Vol.9 (4), p.299-304
• Main Authors: Yilmaz, H, Ucan, B, Sayki, M, Unsal, I, Sahin, M, Ozbek, M, Delibasi, T
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Biomarkers - blood; Case-Control Studies; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - diagnosis; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - etiology; Endocrinology & Metabolism; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Inflammation marker; Lymphocytes - pathology; Male; Middle Aged; Morbid obesity; Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio; Neutrophils - pathology; Obesity, Morbid - complications; Prognosis; Retrospective Studies; Risk Factors; ROC Curve; Type 2 diabetes mellitus
• ISSN: 1871-4021; 1878-0334
• DOI: 10.1016/j.dsx.2014.04.009

Abstract Background There is growing consensus in the literature that inflammation plays a central role in the pathophysiology of obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and cardiovascular complications. Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) provides a simple method for assessment of inflammatory status and it is a new, inexpensive marker. The aim of the present study was to investigate the predictive value of preprocedural (before the OGTT) NLR on development of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) in morbid obesity patients (MOP). Methods 306 MOP (body mass index ≥ 40 kg/m2 ) and 95 normal weight patients with normal OGTT [fasting plasma glucose (FPG) < 100 mg/dL. Two-hour glucose during OGTT < 140 mg/dL] were evaluated in this study. Results The mean ± SD NLR of MOP was significantly higher than that of patients with normal weight healthy patients (3.67 ± 0.95 vs. 1.82 ± 1.02, P < 0.001, respectively). In receiver operating characteristics curve analysis, NLR > 3.12 had 79.2% sensitivity and 64.9% specificity in predicting T2DM. Logistic regression analysis showed that elevated NLR (OR: 2.577, 95% CI: 1.363–4.872, P = 0.004) was an independent variable for predicting T2DM in MOP. Conclusions MOP have higher NLR than healthy controls. High NLR is a powerful and independent predictor of T2DM in MOP. Elevated NLR levels are usually considered as an inflammatory marker. The results of this study suggested that inflammation plays a role in the pathogenesis of T2DM with MOP.