Abstract
INTRODUCTION: The neutrophil lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is a readily accessible marker of systemic inflammation. This study evaluated the association between NLR with all-cause mortality, major adverse vascular events and diabetic kidney disease (DKD) progression in a multiethnic cohort of adult type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) individuals in Singapore. METHODS: Demographic, anthropometric, biochemistry, mortality and major adverse vascular events (MAVE) were obtained from electronic medical records up to June 30, 2024. Composite renal outcomes were defined as one of the following: decline in eGFR ≥ 40%, decline in eGFR to ≤ 15ml/min/1.73m(2) or initiated maintenance dialysis. Multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed to evaluate associations between NLR, all-cause mortality, MAVE and composite renal outcomes. RESULTS: In this cohort of 959 adult participants with T2DM, there was a significant association between NLR with all-cause mortality, MAVE, baseline albuminuria, renal function and progression of DKD. During the median follow-up of 9.4 years, there were 367 (38.3%) mortalities, 222 (23.1%) cases of MAVE and 285 (30%) participants who developed a renal outcome. The highest NLR was associated with a 1.6-fold increased risk for all-cause mortality (HR 1.63; 95% 1.18 - 2.27, p=0.003), 2.7-fold increased risk of MAVE (HR 2.71; 95% CI 1.75 - 4.20; p<0.001) and 1.55 (HR 1.55, 95% CI 1.09 - 2.19, p=0.014) increased risk of having a renal event compared to the lowest NLR tertile after adjusting for confounders. CONCLUSION: Elevated NLR is independently associated with all-cause mortality, MAVE and composite renal outcomes in T2DM. NLR may be considered a potential clinical biomarker of adverse outcomes for use in routine care.