Novel inflammatory biomarkers may reflect subclinical inflammation in young healthy adults with obesity

Introduction: Obesity is often accompanied by low-grade inflammation. In the last years a few blood-based inflammatory markers – neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), derived neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (dNLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR), and monocyte-to-high-density lipoprotein ratio (MHR) have been identified. They have been proven to correlate well with established inflammatory markers such as hsCRP, and have a prognostic value among others in patients with coronary artery disease, heart failure and malignancies. The aim of the study was to find markers associated with obesity in young heathy adults. Materials and methods: Study group included 325 young healthy adults aged 18-35 years (210 males and 115 females). Partial least squares regression analysis was used to find variables associated with body mass index (BMI). Analyzed variables included complete blood count, lipid profile, sex hormones levels, acute phase proteins levels and blood-based inflammatory markers. Results: Variables with the strongest association with BMI in the group of men were HDL% and apolipoprotein B, and in the group of women, HDL, HDL%, triglycerides and hsCRP. Novel inflammatory markers were not associated with BMI. We found significant (p<0.001) correlations between novel biomarkers (NLR, dNLR) and hsCRP and fibrinogen levels in the group of subjects with obesity. Conclusions: Blood-based inflammatory markers significantly correlate with hsCRP and fibrinogen in young healthy adults with obesity, which may reflect the subclinical inflammation in this group of individuals.