The predictive value of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis

There was inconsistent results regarding the associations of neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) with the progression and prognosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This paper assess the role of NLR on the progression and prognosis of COPD using a meta-analytic approach. PubMed, EmBase, and the Cochrane library were systematically searched. The pooled weighted mean differences and odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals were applied for continuous and categorical variables using the random-effects model. NLR was significantly high when comparing COPD patients to healthy individuals, and acute exacerbation COPD to stable COPD. Moreover, elevated NLR were significantly associated with higher risk of mortality and exacerbation.

目前关于中性粒细胞与淋巴细胞比值（neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio, NLR）与慢性阻塞性肺疾病（chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, COPD）的进展及预后之间的关联，现有研究结果并不一致。本研究采用荟萃分析方法，评估NLR在COPD进展与预后中的作用。研究系统检索了PubMed、EmBase及Cochrane图书馆数据库。本研究采用随机效应模型（random-effects model），针对连续性变量与分类变量分别合并加权均数差（weighted mean difference）及比值比（odds ratio），并报告其95%置信区间（95% confidence intervals）。相较于健康人群，COPD患者的NLR水平显著升高；慢性阻塞性肺疾病急性加重期患者的NLR水平也显著高于稳定期患者。此外，NLR水平升高与患者更高的死亡风险及急性加重风险显著相关。