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.