Inflammatory Hematological Indices, Cardiovascular Disease and Mortality: A Narrative Review

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Hematology
• Inflammation Research

Background:

• Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are a leading global cause of death and significant economic burden.
• Chronic inflammation plays a key role in atherosclerosis and CVD development.
• Inflammatory hematologic indices from complete blood counts (CBC) are emerging as prognostic factors for CVD mortality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize existing research on the association between inflammatory hematologic indices and cardiovascular risk and mortality.
• To identify which specific hematologic indices are most strongly linked to adverse cardiovascular outcomes.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature search was conducted across major databases: PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Web of Science, and VHL.
• Studies investigating the link between inflammatory hematologic indices and cardiovascular risk/mortality were selected.
• Eligibility criteria resulted in the selection of 23 studies from an initial pool of 1,470.

Main Results:

• The systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) demonstrated the strongest association with overall mortality, cardiovascular events, and cardiovascular mortality.
• The systemic inflammatory response index (SIRI) was also significantly associated with these outcomes.
• Hematologic inflammatory indices are easily accessible, low-cost, and simple to calculate.

Conclusions:

• Inflammatory hematologic indices, particularly SII and SIRI, are valuable tools for screening and identifying patients at high risk for cardiovascular events and mortality.
• These indices can improve risk stratification, guide treatment decisions, and provide prognostic information.
• Their accessibility and low cost facilitate widespread clinical application.