Platelet-lymphocyte ratio and lymphocyte-monocyte ratio in inflammatory bowel disease and disease activity: A systematic review and meta-analysis
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Published on: February 11, 2021
Lanqin Gao1, Yazhen Zhan2, Xingping Hu2
1Department of Blood Transfusion, Shaoxing Central Hospital, Shaoxing City, China.
Insights
The platelet-lymphocyte ratio and lymphocyte-monocyte ratio can help identify active inflammatory bowel disease. Patients with active ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease show higher platelet-lymphocyte ratios and lower lymphocyte-monocyte ratios compared to those in remission.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Hematology
- Immunology
Background:
- Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) encompasses Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, characterized by chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract.
- Accurate assessment of disease activity is crucial for effective management and treatment of IBD patients.
- Biomarkers that can reliably indicate disease status are of significant clinical interest.
Conclusions:
- PLR and LMR serve as valuable blood-based biomarkers for distinguishing active disease in IBD.
- Elevated PLR and decreased LMR are characteristic of active ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease.
- Further research with larger cohorts is recommended to solidify these findings.
Objective:
This review aimed to examine if the platelet-lymphocyte ratio and lymphocyte-monocyte ratio can be useful in determining disease activity in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.
Methods:
PubMed, CENTRAL, Scopus, Embase, and Web of Science were searched for studies published up to 9 January 2023. Platelet-lymphocyte ratio and lymphocyte-monocyte ratio values from active and remission inflammatory bowel disease cases were compared to generate a mean difference (MD).
Results:
Nine studies were included. Meta-analysis showed that inflammatory bowel disease patients with active disease had significantly higher values of platelet-lymphocyte ratio as compared to those in remission (MD: 63.46 95% CI: 35.74, 91.17, I2 = 89%). The values of platelet-lymphocyte ratio were significantly higher in both active ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease patients. Meta-analysis also showed that lymphocyte-monocyte ratio values were significantly lower in active inflammatory bowel disease patients as compared to those under remission (MD: -1.28 95% CI: -1.42, -1.14, I2 = 4%). Lymphocyte-monocyte ratio values were significantly lower in both ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease patients with active disease.
Conclusion:
Platelet-lymphocyte ratio and lymphocyte-monocyte ratio can be useful blood-based markers in differentiating active disease in inflammatory bowel disease patients. Active cases of ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease have high platelet-lymphocyte ratio and low lymphocyte-monocyte ratio as compared to those in remission. Further studies with a larger sample size are needed to strengthen conclusions.
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