ArticleScientific reports2021
Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and mortality in the United States general population.
Article in Scientific reports, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 246 papers, 8 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Who cites it
246 citing papers in PubMed, 8 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 419 citations in OpenAlex.
- Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio as a prognostic biomarker in lung cancer patients treated with PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Biomolecules & biomedicine · 2026Pooled it
- Complete blood count-based inflammatory ratios in people with bipolar disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte, monocyte-to-lymphocyte, and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratios.European psychiatry : the journal of the Association of European Psychiatrists · 2026Pooled it
- A systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of red blood cell distribution width to albumin ratio as mortality predictor in cardiovascular disease.Scientific reports · 2025Pooled it
- Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio in urolithiasis: a systematic review.BMC urology · 2025Pooled it
- Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio as a predictor of mortality in patients with acute kidney injury: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Einstein (Sao Paulo, Brazil) · 2025Pooled it
- Diagnostic significance of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy: a meta-analysis.European journal of medical research · 2024Pooled it
- Accuracy of routine laboratory tests to predict mortality and deterioration to severe or critical COVID-19 in people with SARS-CoV-2.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2024Pooled it
- Blood-Based Biomarkers as Prognostic Factors of Recurrent Disease after Radical Cystectomy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.International journal of molecular sciences · 2023Pooled it
- Intensity matters: high-intensity interval resistance exercise induces greater immune activation than low-intensity resistance exercise 45 min post-workout.European journal of applied physiology · 2026Trial
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- DNA methylation GrimAge acceleration in US military veterans with PTSD.Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology · 2023Trial
- A phase II, single-center, double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled trial to explore the efficacy and safety of intravenous melatonin in surgical patients with severe sepsis admitted to the intensive care unit.Journal of pineal research · 2023Trial
- Blood cell composition reveals distinct biological interpretation of DNA methylation age and age acceleration.Genome medicine · 2026Article
- Cytotoxic CD4Nature aging · 2026Article
- The merits of the prognostic nutritional index and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in predicting outcomes of coronary artery bypass grafting: a retrospective cohort study.BMC cardiovascular disorders · 2026Article
- Article
- Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte Ratio as a Prognostic Indicator in Patients with Nursing and Healthcare-associated Pneumonia: A Retrospective Study.Internal medicine (Tokyo, Japan) · 2026Article
- Leukocyte profiles reveal sex and age differences in immune investment in a polygynous bat.The Journal of animal ecology · 2026Article
- Article
- Immune aging biomarkers for clinical trials.Nature medicine · 2026Review
186 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
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Authors and funding
4 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in peripheral blood reflects the balance between systemic inflammation and immunity and is emerging as a prognostic biomarker in many diseases, but its predictive role for mortality in the general population has not been investigated. We analyzed 1999-2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey mortality-linked data, followed up until 2015. In participants aged > 30 with measurements of differential white blood cell counts, NLR was calculated and categorized into quartiles. Associations of increased NLR with overall or cause-specific mortality were assessed with Cox proportional hazard regression models, adjusted for potential confounders. Increased NLR was associated with overall mortality (hazard ratio [HR] 1.14, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.10-1.17, per quartile NLR) and mortality due to heart disease (1.17, 1.06-1.29), chronic lower respiratory disease (1.24, 1.04-1.47), influenza/pneumonia (1.26, 1.03-1.54) and kidney disease (1.26, 1.03-1.54). NLR was associated with cancer mortality only in the first follow-up year (HR 1.48, 95% CI 1.11-1.98). The association with chronic lower respiratory disease mortality was stronger in individuals with prevalent lung diseases (HR 1.46, 95% CI 1.14-1.88, P
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