Evidence map›Paper›PMID 28441396›Full record

SynthesisPloS one2017

Prognostic significance of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: A meta-analysis.

Jin Wang, Xu Zhou, Yu Liu, Zheng Li, Xiang Li

RetractedAbstract readMeta-Analysis
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in PloS one, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It has been retracted, and should not be counted. Cited by 27 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
27citing papers in PubMed, 3 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

27 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
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  3. Pooled it
  4. Review
  5. The Role of Platelet to Lymphocyte Ratio (PLR) in Predicting Early Treatment Response in Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma.Indian journal of hematology & blood transfusion : an official journal of Indian Society of Hematology and Blood Transfusion · 2025
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  9. Prognostic significance of diffuse increased fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose (Quantitative imaging in medicine and surgery · 2024
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Jin WangHematology Department of Research Institute of Surgery, Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China.
Xu ZhouHematology Department of Research Institute of Surgery, Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China.
Yu LiuHematology Department of Research Institute of Surgery, Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China.
Zheng LiHematology Department of Research Institute of Surgery, Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China.
Xiang LiHematology Department of Research Institute of Surgery, Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundNeutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has been investigated as a prognostic marker in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL); however, the results remain controversial. This study aimed to explore the association between NLR and survival outcomes and clinicopathological factors in DLBCL.

methodsRelevant studies were retrieved by searching PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) databases. The last search was updated on February 17, 2017. Hazard ratios (HRs) and odds ratios (ORs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used as effective measures in the meta-analysis. Random-effects models and fixed-effects models were used for analyses. Meta-regression was performed. Publication bias was assessed using Begg's test. Stata version 12.0 was used for all analyses.

resultsA total of 9 studies with 2297 patients were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled results showed that NLR was a significant indicator for poor overall survival (OS) (HR = 1.84, 95% CI = 1.52-2.22, p<0.001) and poor progression-free survival (PFS) (HR = 1.64, 95% CI = 1.36-1.98, p<0.001). NLR remained a significant biomarker for OS and PFS regardless of location, sample size or cut-off value. In addition, high NLR was also associated with Ann Arbor stage (OR = 2.09, 95% CI = 1.14-3.81, p = 0.017), lactate dehydrogenase level (OR = 2.74, 95% CI = 1.16-6.46, p = 0.021), extranodal disease (OR = 1.63, 95% CI = 1.06-2.52, p = 0.027), and International Prognostic Index score (OR = 2.44, 95% CI = 1.03-5.08, p = 0.043). However, NLR was found to have no significant association with sex (OR = 0.89, 95% CI = 0.71-1.11, p = 0.29), age (OR = 1.18, 95% CI = 0.94-1.48, p = 0.152), European Cooperative Oncology Group performance status score (OR = 1.78, 95% CI = 0.71-4.46, p = 0.217), or presence of B symptoms (OR = 1.56, 95% CI = 0.7-3.48, p = 0.278).

conclusionIn conclusion, our meta-analysis demonstrated that NLR has a strong association with worse OS and PFS in patients with DLBCL. NLR could be recommended as an inexpensive prognostic biomarker in DLBCL.

Indexed as

Leukocyte CountDisease-Free SurvivalFemaleHumansLymphocyte CountLymphocytesLymphoma, Large B-Cell, DiffuseMaleNeutrophilsOdds RatioPrognosisProportional Hazards Models

Identifiers

PMID28441396
PMCPMC5404792

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.