Value of peripheral blood neutrophil count in differentiating the liver injury in patients with chronic hepatitis B from non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and NAFLD

Objective To investigate the values of neutrophil, and lymphocyte absolute value and neutrophil-to lymphocyte ratio(NLR) in patients with chronicviral hepatitis B virus(HBV)infection or non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD), and to determine the value of neutrophil count as a discrimination factor between CHB and NAFLD. Methods Data of 325 patients with chronic HBV infections and 402 NAFLD patients were retrospectively analyzed from May 2005 to January 2015 fortesting the blood routine, and recordings of the total count of white blood cells, neutrophils, lymphocytes and calculation of the NLR. The peripheral blood neutrophils (Neu) and lymphocyte (Lym) absolute value and NLR were compared; Compared two groups of patients with peripheral blood neutrophils (Neu), lymphocyte (Lym) absolute value and NLR when ALT elevated. Result The values of Neu, Lym in patients with CHB was significantly lower that those of NAFLD The values of NLR is higher than patients with NAFLD, the difference was statistically significant (P<0.01). Neu, Lym values was lower in patients with CHB than that of NAFLD in ALT elevated group (P<0.01). The area under the curve of Neu, Lym to predict the liver damage of NAFLD and CHB was hiaher than NLR; Neu, Lym, NLR area under the curve of the diagnosis of NAFLD was respectively 0.694, 0.731, 0.454; Neutrophils, lymphocytes in the diagnosis of NAFLD and area under the curve of CHB is higher than the NLR. Conclusion Neu and Lym counts have certain predictive value in identifying the elevated ALT induced by NAFLD and CHB. Key words: Hepaeieis B, chronic; Fatty liver; Neutrophils; Lymphocytes