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Updated: Oct 6, 2025
The Isolation and Characterization of Low- and Normal- Density Neutrophils from Whole Blood
Published on: February 7, 2025
The omega-3 index is inversely associated with the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio in adults'
Michael I McBurney1, Nathan L Tintle2, William S Harris3
1Fatty Acid Research Institute, Sioux Falls, SD 57106, United States of America; Department of Human Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada; Division of Biochemical and Molecular Biology, Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111, United States of America.
Abstract:
The neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is a biomarker of systemic inflammation and measures innate-adaptive immune system balance. The omega-3-index (O3I) measures the amount of EPA+DHA in blood. Both a low O3I and an elevated NLR are associated with increased risk for chronic disease and mortality, including cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Hypothesizing that low O3I may partly contribute to systemic chronic inflammation, we asked if a relationship existed between O3I and NLR in healthy adults (≥18 y, n = 28,871, 51% female) without inflammation [C-reactive protein (CRP) <3 mg/mL)] who underwent a routine clinical assessment. NLR was inversely associated with O3I before (p < 0.0001) and after adjusting for age, sex, BMI, and CRP (p < 0.0001). Pearson correlations of other variables with NLR were r = 0.06 (CRP), r = 0.14 (age), and r = 0.01(BMI). In this healthy population, an O3I < 6.6% was associated with increasing NLR whereas NLR remained relatively constant (low) when O3I > 6.6%, suggestive of a quiescent, balanced immune system.
