Is increased neutrophil lymphocyte ratio remarking the inflammation in sarcopenia?

Increasing data suggests that chronic inflammation has an essential role on development of muscle dysfunction and progression of sarcopenia in aging population. The aim of the present study was to compare Neutrophil Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR) levels in sarcopenic and non-sarcopenic individuals and to present the correlation between NLR and other inflammatory markers.

A total of 105 subjects with sarcopenia (male/female: 54/51, mean age 72.8 ± 7.3) and 314 subjects as non-sarcopenic (male/female: 125/189, mean age 71.44 ± 5.4) were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Sarcopenia was diagnosed according to The European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People criteria. Comprehensive geriatric assessment was performed to participants. Complete blood count, biomarkers of inflammation (C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)) of all patients were measured.

NLR levels were found to be higher in the sarcopenic group (2.52 ± 1.30 vs 2.21 ± 0.93, p < 0.013, respectively). Compared to non-sarcopenic participants white blood cell (WBC), ESR and CRP levels were also higher in sarcopenic group. There was a positive correlation between CRP, WBC, total body fat ratio and NLR (r: 0.433, p < 0.001; r: 0.237, p: 0.022; r: 0.339, p < 0.001, respectively). A strong negative correlation was identified between fat free mass and NLR levels in sarcopenic individuals (r: -0.755, p < 0.001). The result of the logistic regression analysis depicted that NLR is an independent predictor for sarcopenia (OR = 1.31; 95% CI = 1.06-1.62, p: 0.013).

Increased NLR levels may indicate that inflammation may have a significant role in development of sarcopenia in the elderly population.