Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 27, 2026
Murine Oropharyngeal Aspiration Model of Ventilator-associated and Hospital-acquired Bacterial Pneumonia
Published on: June 28, 2018
Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio as a serum biomarker associated with community acquired pneumonia
José Luis Che-Morales1, Arturo Cortes-Telles
1Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Unidad Médica de Atención Ambulatoria 01, Servicio de Neumología e Inhaloterapia. Mérida, Yucatán, México.
Background:
Community acquired pneumonia (CAP) is the main infectious cause of mortality in the world. Several scales evaluates outcomes, however the current tendency favors using biomarkers as surrogates of clinical prognosis.
Objective:
To evaluate utility of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio to identify severe patients according to Pneumonia Severity Index scale.
Methods:
Observational and retrospective study in adults ≥18 years old with CAP, evaluated in an emergency ward of a secondary level hospital. Demography, laboratory results, treatment and Pneumonia Severity Index scale (PSI) data were collected. The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) between two groups was compared, high risk vs. low risk of complications according to PSI.
Results:
94 patients were studied. There were not differences in tobacco smoking, comorbidities and outcomes between groups. Neutrophil total count, lymphopenia, and NLR were more elevated in the high risk group (p < 0.05). Uni and multivariate analysis showed that neutrophils and NLR could be surrogate of PSI III or higher (OR: 1.05 and 1.14 respectively). A NLR value ≥ 7.2 provided that probability (AUC 0.65; IC 95% 0.53-0.78).
Conclusion:
NLR is useful to identify patients with grave pneumonia and risk of complications according to PSI.
Related Concept Videos
00:30What are Populations and Communities?
01:30Pneumonia I: Introduction
Risk Factors
Various factors influence the likelihood of developing pneumonia. Age plays a crucial role, with infants, children under two, and individuals over 65 at increased risk due to their...
01:29Pneumonia II: Pathophysiology
01:28Pneumonia IV: Management
Bacterial Pneumonia Treatment
For bacterial pneumonia, antibiotics serve as the cornerstone of therapy. Initial treatment often begins with empirical antibiotics, tailored to the anticipated causative organism and adjusted based on culture results. Key antibiotic choices include:
01:09Odds Ratio
01:23Poisson's Ratio