Neutrophil-lymphocyte and Platelet-lymphocyte Ratios among Adolescents with Substance Use Disorder: A Preliminary Study

Monitoring neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio dynamics for personalized treatment in adolescent eating disorders: a retrospective cohort study

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to evaluate the dynamics of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) during the initial hospitalization of patients with eating disorders (EDs) and to assess its potential as a biomarker for monitoring disease severity and treatment response.

METHODS

A retrospective chart review was conducted with 55 patients aged ≤ 16 years diagnosed with anorexia nervosa or avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder and admitted to Jichi Medical University Hospital between 2015 and 2021. Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics including sex, age, rate of weight gain, percentage of ideal body weight (%IBW), tube feeding treatment, and NLR were obtained. Statistical analyses used a mixed model for repeated measures to assess NLR changes regarding %IBW and other clinical factors.

RESULTS

The NLR at admission was lower in the malnourished state but increased with weight recovery. MMRM revealed that tube feeding treatment (β = 0.538) and restoration of %IBW (β = 0.029) significantly predicted an increase in the NLR. The interaction between tube feeding and the quadratic term of %IBW was also significant, indicating distinct patterns of NLR changes: without tube feeding, NLR increased linearly with weight recovery, whereas with tube feeding, NLR exhibited a non-linear, upward-convex parabolic trend.

DISCUSSION

These findings suggest that NLR may offer an objective recovery marker less influenced by patient self-report. Monitoring NLR before and after tube feeding may help distinguish true physiological recovery from transient stress responses, providing complementary information to conventional assessments. Further research is warranted to establish its clinical relevance.

Feasibility of Using Serum, Plasma, and Platelet 5-hydroxytryptamine as Peripheral Biomarker for the Depression Diagnosis and Response Evaluation to Antidepressants: Animal Experimental Study

Objective

Whether peripheral blood 5-hydroxytrptamine (5-HT) levels serve as biomarker for depression diagnosis/response evaluation has not been well determined. This work was explored to address this inconclusive issue.

Methods

Animals were randomized into normal control group (NC, n = 10) and chronic unpredictable mild stress model group (CUMS-model, n = 20), respectively. Animals in CUMS-model group were subjected to chronic stress, then they were randomly subdivided into CUMS subgroup and CUMS + fluoxetine subgroup (CUMS + FLX). After FLX treatment, blood and tissues were collected. 5-HT and relevant protein expression were measured.

Results

In mice model, there was a significant increase in serum and a significant reduction in plasma 5-HT levels in CUMS-model group versus NC group, while platelet 5-HT levels change little. After FLX treatment, serum and platelet 5-HT levels were significantly decreased in CUMS + FLX subgroup, while plasma 5-HT levels had not much change versus CUMS subgroup. Chronic stress enhanced colon and platelet serotonin transporter (SERT) expression and FLX treatment mitigated SERT expression. In rats' model, there was a significant increase in serum 5-HT levels while plasma and platelet 5-HT levels showed little change in CUMS group versus NC group. After FLX treatment, serum, plasma and platelet 5-HT levels were significantly decreased in CUMS + FLX subgroup versus CUMS subgroup. The profile of relevant proteins expression changed by FLX were like those in mice.

Conclusion

Serum 5-HT levels might serve as a potential biomarker for depression diagnosis, meanwhile serum and platelet 5-HT levels might respond to antidepressant treatment.

Using the Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio and Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratio as Prognostic Markers for Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a chronic condition characterized by the partial or complete collapse of the airways during sleep, leading to hypoxemia (reduced oxygen flow to organs) and disrupted sleep. This study aims to establish robust evidence for the relationship between the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and the severity and prognosis of OSA. A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted using PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Scopus, Medline, and Web of Science to gather all relevant articles. Twenty-six eligible articles were included in the study. The pooled outcomes indicated that the NLR and PLR were significantly higher in patients with OSA compared to controls. Subgroup analyses based on the severity of OSA showed that differences in the NLR were more pronounced in patients with severe OSA. Moreover, meta-regression analysis revealed that variations in mean age, BMI, and male proportion did not significantly affect the differences in the NLR and PLR. OSA has a significant impact on NLR and PLR levels, making them useful markers for detecting the inflammatory status in OSA patients.

Inflammatory Hematological Ratios in Adolescents with Mental Disorders: A Scoping Review

BACKGOUND

Inflammatory hematological ratios (IHRs), such as neutrophil to lymphocyte, monocyte to lymphocyte, and platelet to lymphocyte ratios, are associated with mental disorders, symptoms severity, and the disease phase. Evidence from the studies in adult patients has been summarized in systematic reviews and meta-analyses. The results of the studies in adolescents remain poorly systematized.

AIM

To summarize the findings from the studies that investigated the relationship of IHRs with mental disorders in adolescent patients.

METHODS

This scoping review included studies of IHRs in patients aged 10-19 years with mental disorders (other than anorexia nervosa), published in English by December 31, 2023. The search for relevant papers was performed in MEDLINE. The studies were categorized into two groups: studies with external controls (healthy adolescents) and studies with internal controls (patients in different phases of mental disorder, with or without self-harm/suicidal behaviors).

RESULTS

A total of 11 studies were included in the review (all cross-sectional ones). The results of these studies demonstrate that 1) adolescents with mental disorders (major depressive disorder, psychotic disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, substance use disorders) have higher IHR values than individuals of the same age without corresponding disorders (5 studies); 2) IHR values are positively correlated with the severity of psychopathological symptoms (1 study); 3) higher IHR values are associated with the phase of the mental disorder - manic episode in bipolar disorder (1 study) and exacerbation of psychosis in psychotic disorders (1 study); and 4) higher IHR values are associated with self-harm/suicidal behaviors - suicide attempts (1 study) and non-suicidal self-injury (1 study).

CONCLUSION

IHRs are associated with mental disorders in adolescents, and higher IHR values are associated with a more severe/acute clinical presentation (severity of symptoms, mania, acute psychosis, self-harm/suicidal behaviors). Further studies of higher methodological quality are needed to evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic value of IHRs as biomarkers of mental disorders in adolescence.

Lymphocyte-related ratios in methamphetamine-induced psychotic disorder in Taiwan, comparing with patients with schizophrenia

The lymphocyte-related ratios, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) are new measures of inflammation within the body. Few studies have investigated the inflammatory response of patients with methamphetamine-induced psychotic disorder. Clinically, the psychotic symptoms and behavioural manifestation of methamphetamine-induced psychotic disorder are often indistinguishable from paranoid schizophrenia. We aimed to determine the differences in these inflammatory markers between patients with methamphetamine-induced psychotic disorder, patients with schizophrenia and healthy individuals. A total of 905 individuals were recruited. The NLR and MLR were found to be higher in both patients with methamphetamine-induced psychotic disorders and patients with schizophrenia compared with healthy controls. There was no significant difference between the three groups in PLR. When compared with the control group, the methamphetamine-induced psychotic disorder group was significantly higher in NLR 27% (95%CI = 11 to 46%, p = 0.001), MLR 16% (95%CI = 3% to 31%, p = 0.013) and PLR 16% (95%CI = 5% to 28%, p = 0.005). NLR of the group with methamphetamine-induced psychotic disorder was 17% (95%CI = 73% to 94%, p = 0.004) less than the group with schizophrenia, while MLR and PLR did not differ significantly between the two groups. This is the first study that investigated the lymphocyte-related ratios in methamphetamine-induced psychotic disorder when compared with patients with schizophrenia and healthy individuals. The results showed that both patients with methamphetamine-induced psychotic disorder and patients with schizophrenia had stronger inflammatory responses than the healthy control. Our finding also indicated that the inflammatory response of methamphetamine-induced psychotic disorder was between those of patients with schizophrenia and healthy individuals.

Lymphocyte-related ratios, systemic immune-inflammatory and systemic inflammatory response index in alcohol use disorder

Addictive disorders are associated with systemic and central nervous system inflammation, which may be important for the onset and development of these diseases. Although lymphocyte-related parameters have recently been studied in alcohol use disorder (AUD), systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) and systemic inflammatory response index (SIRI) haven't. Lymphocyte-related ratios, SII and SIRI levels were evaluated between AUD and healthy controls (HC) in this study. It was a retrospective and cross-sectional study. This study included 72 patients with AUD and 184 individuals in the HC group. Lymphocyte related ratios such as neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), monocyte to lymphocyte ratio (MLR) and platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR), SII and SIRI values were compared. Compared to HC group, NLR (p < 0.001), MLR (p < 0.001), and SIRI (p < 0.001) levels were significantly higher in AUD group. There was also a significant relationship between NLR and AST/ALT ratio in the AUD group (p = 0.022). The results of this study support that AUD is a chronic inflammatory psychiatric disorder. In addition, it may be useful to evaluate these markers in relation to liver enzymes in patients with AUD, as alcohol consumption causes liver damage. These markers may also be used in future studies to assess treatment response and disease severity.

Oxidative Stress and Inflammatory Biomarkers in People with Methamphetamine Use Disorder

Objective

This study aimed to investigate the blood serum levels of biomarkers specifying oxidative stress status and systemic inflammation between people using methamphetamine (METH) and the control group (CG). Serum thiol/disulfide balance and ischemia-modified albumin levels were studied to determine oxidative stress, and serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels and complete blood count (CBC) were to assess inflammation.

Methods

Fifty patients with METH use disorder (MUD) and 36 CG participants were included in the study. Two tubes of venous blood samples were taken to measure oxidative stress, serum thiol/disulfide balance, ischemia-modified albumin, and IL-6 levels between groups. The correlation of parameters measuring oxidative stress and inflammation between groups with sociodemographic data was investigated.

Results

In this study, serum total thiol, free thiol levels, disulfide/native thiol percentage ratios, and serum ischemia- modified albumin levels of the patients were statistically significantly higher than the healthy controls. No difference was observed between the groups in serum disulfide levels and serum IL-6 levels. Considering the regression analysis, only the duration of substance use was a statistically significant factor in explaining serum IL-6 levels. The parameters showing inflammation in the CBC were significantly higher in the patients than in the CG.

Conclusion

CBC can be used to evaluate systemic inflammation in patients with MUD. Parameters measuring thiol/disulfide homeostasis and ischemia-modified albumin can be, also, used to assess oxidative stress.

Associations of systemic inflammation markers with myocardial enzymes in pediatric adenotonsillar hypertrophy: A cross-sectional study

Objective

The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between systemic inflammation markers and myocardial enzymes in children with adenotonsillar hypertrophy (ATH).

Methods

The levels of myocardial enzymes were detected and the systemic inflammatory biomarkers including neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and systemic immune inflammation index (SII) were calculated. Regression analyses were performed and a prediction model for screening myocardial injury was established by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve.

Results

Finally, a total of 804 children with ATH were included. After adjusting for age, BMI, fasting blood glucose and lipid profiles, both NLR and SII were significantly associated with CK-MB (p = 0.041 and 0.034, respectively) and LDH (p = 0.002 and 0.001, respectively), and PLR was associated with CK-MB (p = 0.008). In addition, NLR, SII were independently associated with hyper-LDH [OR = 1.447, 95%CI (1.063, 1.968); OR = 1.001, 95%CI (1.000, 1.002), respectively] and the associations were more significant in girls. A prediction model for hyper-LDH based on SII was developed with the area under the ROC curve of 0.715 (0.682, 0.746).

Conclusion

Systemic inflammation markers were only independently associated with serum hyper-LDH in children with ATH, especially in girls. Further investigation was needed to determine the relationship between systemic inflammation with myocardial enzymes in ATH children.