The importance of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Previous studies have demonstrated the predictive value of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in many cardiovascular disorders. The aim of this study was to assess whether NLR is associated with echocardiographic or electrocardiographic parameters, or with predicted five-year risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD), in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). METHODS: This prospective observational study included 74 controls and 97 HCM patients. Three years of follow-up results for HCM patients were evaluated. RESULTS: NLR was significantly higher in patients with fragmented QRS, ventricular tachycardia, and presyncope than in those without (p=0.031, 0.030, and 0.020, respectively). NLR was significantly higher in patients whose predicted five-year risk of SCD was more than 6% and whose corrected QT interval was greater than 440 ms (p=0.022 and 0.001, respectively). It was also significantly higher in patients whose left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was <60% than in those with LVEF >60% (p=0.017). CONCLUSION: NLR was significantly higher in patients with HCM compared to the control group. A high NLR is associated with a higher five-year risk of SCD in patients with HCM.