Abstract
Objective: The neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has been reported to be a predictor of outcome in critical illness. Objective of this study was to investigate the changes of the NLR in patients with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) and analyze the relationship between the NLR and TBI outcome.
Setting: China.
Participants: A total of 855 patients with severe TBI from January 2007 to April 2012.
Design: Retrospective.
Main Measurement: Data on the NLR and other indicators were collected. After follow-up until death or 1 year, the relationship between the NLR and TBI outcome was analyzed retrospectively.
Results: The final analysis included 688 patients. There were 508 (73.8%) who had an unfavorable outcome by 1 year after head trauma. The value of the NLR on admission was significantly higher in the unfavorable outcome group than in the favorable outcome group (P < .001). Multivariate logistic analysis showed that higher NLR was associated with an unfavorable outcome (odds ratio, 1.100; P < .001). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that the NLR had a sensitivity of 60.2% and a specificity of 71.1% for predicting unfavorable outcome at 1 year on the basis of the best threshold.
Conclusion: The NLR might be useful as a novel predictor for 1-year outcome and mortality in severe TBI.