Is the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio associated with liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B?

Table 1 Demographic, biochemical, and histological characteristics of the patients

Characteristic
n	129
Sex (male/female)	92/37
Age (yr)	43.9 ± 17.6 (range, 18-81)
Hemoglobin (g/dL)	14.7 (13.4-15.6)
White blood cell (× 103μL)	6300 (5400-7400)
Platelet (× 103μL)	217000 (180000-266000)
Red blood cell distribution width	13.2 (12.5-13.5)
Mean corpuscular volume	89.2 (85-91.3)
Platelet distribution width	15.8 (12.9-16.3)
Aspartate aminotransferase (U/L)	41 (28-67)
Alanine aminotransferase (U/L)	54 (33-99)
HBeAg (+)	37
HBVDNA (IU/mL)	676500 (89000-13113084)
Histology activity index	6 (4-8)
Fibrosis
0	37 (28.7)
1	42 (32.6)
2	19 (14.7)
3	26 (20.2)
4	5 (3.9)

Table 2 Demographic and biochemical characteristics of patients with significant fibrosis and patients with no/minimal fibrosis

	Fibrosis < 2	Fibrosis≥2
n	79	50
Age (yr)	37 (23-53)	55 (37.8-65)	< 0.001
Sex (male/female)	57/22	35/15	0.80
HbeAg (+)	23	14	0.94
HBV DNA (IU/mL)	460000 (47219-9643500)	1215000 (165250-18492000)	0.13
HAI	4 (3-6)	8 (7-10)	< 0.001
Hemoglobin (g/dL)	14.7 (13.5-15.7)	14.8 (13.2-15.6)	0.76
White blood cell (× 103μL)	6300 (5600-7450)	5650 (4950-7350)	0.32
Platelet (× 103μL)	235000 (185500-270000)	198500 (167750-242500)	0.047
Red blood cell distribution width	13.4 (12.5-13.7)	13.0 (12.5-13.4)	0.51
Mean corpuscular volume	88 (83.8-92)	90.7 (87.2-92.8)	0.006
Platelet distribution width	15 (12.7-16.5)	16.1 (13.6-16.2)	0.46
Neutrophil	50.7% (5.3-62.4)	41.7% (3.0-54.5)	0.005
Lymphocyte	25.2% (2.4-33.0)	23.6% (2.1-35.2)	0.92
Neutrophil lymphocyte ratio	1.9 (1.3-2.6)	1.5 (1.1-1.8)	0.001
Prothrombin time (INR)	1.05 (0.95-1.10)	1.05 (0.99-1.13)	0.43
Aspartate aminotransferase (U/L)	33 (24-52)	49 (41-109)	< 0.001
Alanine aminotransferase (U/L)	52 (28-85)	54.5 (42-137)	0.03
Albumin (g/dL)	4.3 (4.1-4.5)	4.3 (4.2-4.7)	0.16
AAR	0.73 (0.56-0.93)	0.79 (0.67-1.07)	0.03
API	3 (1-4)	3 (2-5.25)	0.21
CDS	3 (3-4.75)	4 (3-5)	0.12
APRI	0.35 (0.21-0.55)	0.73 (0.45-1.0)	< 0.001

AAR: AST/ALT. API: Age (yr): < 30 = 0; 30-39 = 1; 40-49 = 2; 50-59 = 3; 60-69 = 4; > 70 = 5. PLT count (10⁹/L): ≥ 225 = 0; 200-224 = 1; 175-199 = 2; 150-174 = 3; 125 - 149 = 4; ≤ 125 = 5. API is the sum of the above; CDS: PLT count (10⁹/L): > 340 = 0; 280-339 = 1; 220-279 = 2; 160 - 219 = 3; 100-159 = 4; 40-99 = 5; < 40 = 6. ALT/AST ratio: > 1.7 = 0; 1.2 - 1.7 = 1; 0.6-1.19 = 2; < 0.6 = 3. INR: < 1.1 = 0; 1.1 - 1.4 = 1; > 1.4 = 2. CDS is the sum of the above; APRI: [(AST/ULN)/PLT (10⁹/L)] × 100. INR: International normalized ratio.