Is neutrophil lymphocyte ratio an indicator for proteinuria in chronic kidney disease?

BACKGROUND: Recent studies have shown that neutrophil lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is a strong indicator in determining inflammation in cardiac and non-cardiac diseases. We aimed to evaluate the relationship between proteinuria and NLR in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients without diabetes mellitus (DM). METHODS: Between 2011 and 2012 files of a total of 1000 CKD patients attending outpatient clinic were retrospectively scanned. Patients with DM, chronic disease, malignancy or stage 5 CKD were excluded. After these patients were excluded, a total of 69 patients with stage 3 and 4 CKD were evaluated. RESULTS: The study comprised 27 patients with CKD without proteinuria (Group 1), 42 patients with CKD and proteinuria (Group 2) and 30 healthy volunteers (Group 3). NLR was highest in Group 2 and this was statistically significant compared with the control group (p = 0.012). The platelet lymphocyte ratio (PLR) in Group 2 was higher than the control group at a significant level (p = 0.004). There was a moderate positive correlation found between proteinuria and NLR (p = 0.013, r = 0.3). There was a positive correlation found between proteinuria and PLR (p = 0.002, r = 0.306). CONCLUSION: In conclusion, NLR, a parameter easily found in routine blood counts of CKD patients, is a marker with prognostic value for the presence and degree of proteinuria.

An Unusual Initial Presentation of Sjögren's Syndrome: Severe Hypokalemic Paralysis Secondary to Distal Renal Tubular Acidosis.

Sjögren's syndrome is mainly affects the exocrine glands. Patients usually complain of persistent dryness of the mouth and eyes. However, nonexocrine organs such as the kidneys are often affected in these patients. Distal renal tubular acidosis (dRTA) and interstitiel nephritis are common in Sjögren's syndrome. Nonetheless, severe hypokalemia and paralysis secondary to dRTA are unusual initial manifestation of Sjögren's syndrome. Here, we describe a case of a 48 year old women admitted to the emergency setting with severe hypokalemic paralysis and diagnosed Sjögren's syndrome.