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).