Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio and Response to Intravenous Thrombolysis in Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke

Abstract Background and Aims: The Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR) is suggested as a readily available and inexpensive biomarker to predict prognosis of acute stroke. Experience with intravenous (IV) tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) treatment is limited. Methods: Total 142 (80 female, age: 69 ± 13 yearr) consecutive acute stroke patients treated with IV tPA were evaluated. Admission and 24th hour lymphocyte, neutrophil, and monocyte counts were measured and the NLR was calculated. Results: Average NLR elevated (by 3.47 ± 6.75) significantly from admission to 24th hour ( P P = .001). At the end of 3rd month, 46.5% of patients had favorable (modified Rankin's score, mRS 0-2) and 32.4% had excellent (mRS 0-1) outcome. Patients without favorable/excellent outcome had significantly higher 24h NLRs. Regression analysis indicated that post-tPA, but not admission NLR, was an independent negative predictor of excellent (β =−.216, P = .006) and favorable (β = −.179, P = .034) outcome after adjustment for age, hypertension, and admission NIHSS. Nine patients who developed symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage had elevated pre-tPA (7.6 ± 7.39 versus 3.33 ± 3.07, P P Conclusions: As a marker of stroke-associated acute stress response, the NLR, which increases during the first 24 hours, is an epiphenomenon of poor prognosis. However, pretreatment NLR values have no importance in predicting IV tPA response.