Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42073416›Full record

ArticleLife (Basel, Switzerland)2026

Baseline Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio Stratifies Early Trichoscopic Response to Platelet-Rich Plasma-Based Regimens in Non-Scarring Alopecia: A Real-World Cohort with Internal Validation Using an Interpretable Neural Network.

Adelina Vrapcea, Sarmis-Marian Săndulescu, Eleonora Daniela Ciupeanu-Calugaru, Emil-Tiberius Traşcă, Dumitru Rădulescu, Patricia-Mihaela Rădulescu, Cristina Violeta Tutunaru, Sandra-Alice Buteica, Elena-Camelia Stănciulescu, Cătălina Gabriela Pisoschi

Abstract read
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Article in Life (Basel, Switzerland), 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Adelina VrapceaDoctoral School, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, 200585 Craiova, Romania.
Sarmis-Marian SăndulescuDepartment of Surgery, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, 200349 Craiova, Romania.ORCID 0000-0002-9444-0618
Eleonora Daniela Ciupeanu-CalugaruDepartment of Biology and Environmental Engineering, University of Craiova, 200585 Craiova, Romania.
Emil-Tiberius TraşcăDepartment of Surgery, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, 200349 Craiova, Romania.
Dumitru RădulescuDepartment of Surgery, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, 200349 Craiova, Romania.ORCID 0009-0003-3990-6483
Patricia-Mihaela RădulescuDepartment of Pneumology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, 200349 Craiova, Romania.
Cristina Violeta TutunaruDepartment of Dermatology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, 200349 Craiova, Romania.ORCID 0009-0002-2840-1263
Sandra-Alice ButeicaPharmaceutical Chemistry Department, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, 200349 Craiova, Romania.
Elena-Camelia StănciulescuDepartment of Biochemistry, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, St. Petru Rares, No. 2-4, 200433 Craiova, Romania.
Cătălina Gabriela PisoschiDepartment of Biochemistry, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, St. Petru Rares, No. 2-4, 200433 Craiova, Romania.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BACKGROUND/

objectivesPlatelet-rich plasma (PRP)-based regimens are widely used in non-scarring alopecia, yet objective response is variable and clinic-ready predictors are lacking. We evaluated short-term trichoscopic outcomes in routine practice and tested whether baseline complete blood count-derived inflammatory status, quantified by the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), can stratify response under PRP-based therapy.

methodsWe performed an ambispective observational cohort study (October 2024-October 2025) in an outpatient dermatology practice. The final analytic cohort included 129 patients allocated to four treatment groups: PRP alone (n = 54), PRP combined with microneedling-assisted Purasomes Hair & Scalp Complex (HCS50+, Dermoaroma; exosome-containing) (n = 33), PRP combined with microneedling-assisted Mesoaroma Hair Cocktail (scalp formulation; nutrient complex) (n = 24), and a nutrient complex alone (n = 18). Trichoscopy (FotoFinder ATBM; FotoFinder Systems GmbH, Bad Birnbach, Germany) was obtained at baseline (T1) and first follow-up (T2). Density response was defined as a ≥10% increase in total hair density and hair-cycle response as an anagen fraction increase ≥5 percentage points. Predictive analyses were prespecified and restricted to PRP-containing regimens, using logistic regression and a multilayer perceptron with repeated cross-validation for internal validation.

resultsAcross the full cohort (n = 129), total hair density and hair-cycle parameters improved from T1 to T2. In the PRP-containing subgroup (n = 111), baseline NLR strongly discriminated density responders (AUC 0.85, bootstrap 95% CI 0.77-0.91). In multivariable models, NLR remained independently associated with density response (OR 0.31 per 1-unit increase, 95% CI 0.20-0.48).

conclusionsIn this cohort, baseline NLR was associated with discrimination of early trichoscopic response in PRP-based treatment of non-scarring alopecia. Using the Youden-derived cut-off (NLR = 2.202), patients with NLR > 2.202 had a higher risk of density non-response (72.1% vs. 4.7%), corresponding to a 15.49-fold increased failure risk in this cohort. These findings are exploratory and hypothesis-generating, and external validation and calibration are required before any routine clinical or decision-support use.

Indexed as

explainable machine learninginternal validationneutrophil-to-lymphocyte rationon-scarring alopeciaplatelet-rich plasmaprediction modelsystemic inflammationtrichoscopy

Identifiers

PMID42073416
PMCPMC13118206

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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.