Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and microvascular complications in subjects with type 2 diabetes: Pakistan’s perspective

Background/aim: The aim of this study is to find the association between diabetic microvascular complications and the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in subjects with type 2 diabetes. Materials and methods: This was a retrospective study based on hospital data records from January 2005 to May 2016 at the Baqai Institute of Diabetology and Endocrinology. The eligibility criteria included subjects with type 2 diabetes with their latest complete blood count while subjects with conditions such as chronic inflammation, cancer, heart failure, and end-stage renal disease were not eligible for inclusion. Subjects were divided into two groups: one with any microvascular complications and the other with no microvascular complications. Body mass index, anthropometric measurements, and blood pressure were measured. Results: Out of 5620 type 2 diabetic subjects, 3202 (57%) were male and (2418) 43% were female. Among these, 3374 diabetic subjects had one or more microvascular complications and 2246 had no microvascular complications. The NLR was found to be 1.14 times higher in diabetic subjects with at least one microvascular complication as compared to diabetic subjects without any complications (4.34 ± 3.32 vs. 3.36 ± 2.67; P < 0.0001). Factors likely associated with microvascular complications were high levels of NLR, HbA1c, serum creatinine, and systolic blood pressure and longer duration of diabetes. Conclusion: According to the results, the NLR is an efficient, cheaper, and readily available marker of inflammation and it is known as an important predictor for the existence of microvascular complications in subjects with type 2 diabetes.