Neutrophilic lymphocyte ratio and lymphocyte monocyte ratio: prognostic significance in COVID 19

ABSTRACT

Aim: To evaluate neutrophilic lymphocyte ratio and lymphocyte monocyte ratio as prognostic markers in COVID 19. Material and method: The present retrospective observational studyconducted in the department of Medicine, Government Medical College, Jammu for a period of one year. The study comprised of 100 Covid 19 RT PCR positive cases admitted patient in ICU as well as Ward, in covid care centre of Government Medical College, Jammu. Patients characteristics were obtained from the hospital covid care centre satisfying inclusion criteria from electronic medical records and demographic, clinical, laboratory data were extracted included age, sex clinical features, signs and symptoms, comorbidities, exposure history, oxygen support during hospitalization, duration of oxygen support during hospitalization,imaging features of the chest (CT scoring), laboratory findings (Hemogram, Total leucocyte count, differential counts, NLR and LMR. Complete blood count including NLR and LMR collected at day of admission and day 3 of admission and documented on a standardized proforma. Two outcomes were evaluated “discharge” or “died.” Results:In majority (53%) of patients, ventilation given was high flow followed by bipap (21%), ventimask (19%) and ventilator (5%). Ventilation given was room air in only 2 out of 100 patients (2%). In present study, only 10 out of 100 patients (10.00%) died.Discriminatory power of neutrophil lymphocyte ratio (AUC 0.865;95% CI 0.781 to 0.925) was excellent and discriminatory power of lymphocyte monocyte ratio (AUC 0.791;95% CI 0.698 to 0.867) was acceptable. Among both the parameters, neutrophil lymphocyte ratio was the best predictor of CTSI severity at cut off point of >3.57 with 86.50% chances of correctly predicting CTSI severity. Conclusion: It can be concluded from the results that NLR may be a rapid, widely available, useful prognostic factor in the early screening of critical illness in patients with confirmed COVID-19.