Abstract
BACKGROUND: The objective of this research was to examine the impact of the monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR) on the advancement of hematoma after cerebral contusion. METHODS: The clinical information and laboratory test findings of people with cerebral contusion were retrospectively analyzed. Using the tertiles of MLR, the study participants were categorized into three groups, enabling the evaluation of the correlation between MLR and the advancement of hematoma after cerebral contusion. RESULTS: Among the cohort of patients showing progression, MLR levels were significantly higher compared with the nonprogress group (P < 0.001). The high MLR group had a significantly higher proportion of patients with hematoma progression compared with the medium and low MLR groups. However, the medium MLR group had a lower proportion of patients with hematoma progression compared with the low MLR group. High MLR levels were independently linked to a higher risk of hematoma progression (Odds Ratio 3.546, 95% Confidence Interval 1.187-10.597, P = 0.024). By incorporating factors such as Glasgow Coma Scale score on admission, anticoagulant/antiplatelet therapy, white blood cell count, and MLR into the model, the predictive performance of the model significantly improved (area under the curve 0.754). CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that MLR may serve as a potential indicator for predicting the progression of hematoma after cerebral contusion. Further research is necessary to investigate the underlying pathological and physiological mechanisms that contribute to the association between MLR and the progression of hematoma after cerebral contusion and to explore its clinical implications.