The relationship between neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio and uric acid levels in multiple sclerosis patients.

BACKGROUND: In this study, we aimed to determine whether neutrophil / lymphocyte ratio (NLR), obtained by dividing the number of neutrophils by the number of lymphocytes, and uric acid (UA) levels in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients vary compared with healthy controls and to establish correlations among these changes themselves as well as between such changes and MS subtypes, immunomodulatory drug use, the duration of the disease and prognosis. METHODS: 150 patients who presented to our hospital and were diagnosed with MS and 150 healthy volunteers were retrospectively included in our study. EDSS score (Expanded Disability Status Scale) was used to assess the disability of the patients. RESULTS: Compared to healthy volunteers, MS patients had lower UA levels (p < 0.001) and higher NLR values (p = 0.02). In addition, UA levels were higher in patients with a low EDSS score or those on immunomodulating drugs (p < 0.001, p = 0.04, respectively). NLR value was lower in patients with a low EDSS score (p < 0.001). There was a negative correlation between NLR value and UA (r = ‒0.23, p = 0.003). Similarly, UA level decreased with increasing EDSS score and duration of disease (r = ‒0.38, p < 0.001; r = ‒0.17, p = 0.02, respectively). CONCLUSION: Evaluating the NLR value, recognized as a new marker for inflammation in MS, together with the UA value, thought to be protective in MS, might be more effective than evaluating these parameters alone in demonstrating disability in patients (Tab. 4, Ref. 28). Text in PDF www.elis.sk Keywords: neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio, uric acid, multiple sclerosis, inflammation, Expanded Disability Status Scale.

Do the Different Types of Pulmonary Hypertension Cause the Same Effect on Right Heart and Serum Asymmetrical Dimethylarginine Levels in Female Patients?

ABSTRACT Objective: Right-heart function is a major determinant of clinical outcome in patients with elevated pulmonary artery pressure due to pulmonary venous hypertension (PVH) and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) is an endogenous inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase. This study aimed to evaluate if different types of pulmonary hypertension (PH) would cause the same effect on right-heart functions and serum ADMA levels in female patients. Methods: This study included patients with PAH as group I, patients with PVH due to mitral stenosis (mitral valve area ≤ 1.5 cm2, without any additional valve or left-heart disease and systolic pulmonary artery pressure ≥ 50 mmHg in transthoracic echocardiography) as group II, and healthy control subjects as group III. Transthorasic echocardiographic evaluations for right-heart functions were performed according to the guidelines of the American Society of Echocardiography. Venous blood samples were collected, and the serum ADMA concentrations were obtained with the ELISA kit (DRG® International Inc., Springfield, NJ, USA). Results: Patients in groups I and II had higher ADMA levels than healthy control subjects. Right-atrium area and dimensions, right-ventricular (RV) volumes, grade of tricuspid regurgitation, systolic pulmonary arterial pressure, RV wall thickness, and RV outflow tract diameters were significantly higher in group I patients than in group II patients. Right-ventricular myocardial performance index was lower, and RV fractional area change and tricuspid valve systolic tissue Doppler velocity were higher in group II patients than in group I patients. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that both PAH and PVH caused increase in right-heart dimensions and impairment in right-heart functions.