A study on the relationship between neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) in neurosurgery and the occurrence and prognosis of progressive hemorrhagic brain injury (PHI) in patients with traumatic brain injury

Objective: To investigate the correlation between neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) in neurosurgery and their impact on the occurrence and prognosis of acute traumatic progressive hemorrhagic brain injury (PHI) among traumatic brain injury patients.

Method: A retrospective analysis encompassed 220 traumatic brain injury patients treated between 2019 and 2022. Patients were categorized into two groups: those experiencing progressive hemorrhagic brain injury (PHI) and those without PHI. The levels of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) were examined within each group. Within the PHI cohort, patients were further stratified based on their Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) scores into good and poor prognosis groups, with corresponding observations of NLR and PLR levels. Logistic regression was used to identify factors influencing both the occurrence and poor prognosis of PHI. Additionally, Pearson's linear analysis was utilized to investigate the correlation between serum NLR and PLR levels among PHI patients and the occurrence and prognosis of the disease.

Result: We found no statistically significant differences were observed between the PHI group and the non-PHI group in terms of gender, age, history of hypertension, smoking history, types of intracranial lesions, heart rate (HR), Injury Severity Score (ISS), Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS), pupillary reflex status, mean arterial pressure (MAP), intracranial pressure (ICP), and cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP) (P > 0.05). However, there were significant differences in GCS scores, PaO2, and Hb levels (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the non-PHI group had higher NLR and PLR than the PHI group (P < 0.05). Multiple Logistic regression analysis showed that neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR) were independent risk factors for progressive hemorrhagic brain injury (PHI) in TBI patients (P < 0.05). Kendall analysis showed that there was a significant negative correlation between GOS score PHI (r=-0.458, P = 0.000). Additionally, Pearson linear correlation analysis showed a notable positive correlation between serum NLR and PLR levels in PHI patients and the occurrence of the disease (r = 0.377, P = 0.000). Evaluation based on the Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) score demonstrated no significant differences in gender, age, history of hypertension, smoking, types of intracranial lesions, heart rate (HR), Injury Severity Score (ISS), Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS), pupillary reflex status, mean arterial pressure (MAP), intracranial pressure (ICP), and cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP) between the good and poor prognosis groups but significant differences in GCS score, PaO2, and Hb levels (P < 0.05). In addition, the NLR and PLR of the poor prognosis group were higher than those of the good prognosis group (P < 0.05). Multiple Logistic regression analysis showed that NLR and PLR were independent risk factors for poor prognosis in PHI patients (P < 0.05). Pearson linear correlation analysis showed a statistically significant positive correlation between serum NLR and PLR levels in PHI patients and the likelihood of poor prognosis (r = 0.307, P = 0.000).

Conclusion: Elevated NLR to PLR ratios in TBI patients significantly elevate the risk of PHI occurrence. Moreover, higher NLR to PLR ratios correlate with poorer prognostic outcomes among PHI patients.