On the Prognostic Value of the NLR for the Incidence of Recurrent Cardiovascular Events

The role of inflammatory markers in cardiovascular diseases has been studied extensively and a consistent relationship between various inflammatory markers and cardiovascular diseases has been established in the past. This relationship is believed to be a possible participant in the active atherosclerotic process. Previously, the total White Blood Cell (WBC) count was used as an indicator and quantifier of inflammation. However, because the WBC count inaccurate and prone to confounding variables, this study aims to employ the ratio of neutrophils to lymphocytes, an emerging inflammatory marker, as a cardio-specific indicator. The Neutrophil to Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR), which is calculated from complete blood count with differential, is an inexpensive, easy to obtain, widely available marker of inflammation, which may be able to contribute to the recurrence risk stratification of acute cardiovascular events in stroke patients. It has been established that secondary events are the most common cause of death in patients who have suffered an acute cerebrovascular accident. Thus, this unprecedented study proposes to investigate the prognostic value of the NLR in patients with a stroke diagnosis prior to discharge for the incidence of future cardiovascular events. The presence of such a relationship can be used as a deciding factor in the treatment course, observation, and discharge of a patient as well as in the actuarial sciences and social services.