Korean J Psychosom Med.  2021 Dec;29(2):169-175. 10.22722/KJPM.2021.29.2.169.

Neutrophil-Lymphocyte Ratio as Inflammatory Marker for Delirium: An Exploratory Study

• Park J
• Yang S
• Park S
• Song JE

• KMID: 2524300
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.22722/KJPM.2021.29.2.169

Abstract

Objectives
：Delirium is a temporary brain dysfunction and systemic inflammation is important factor in its pathophysiology. Whether the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), one of the inflammatory markers, can be used as an inflammatory marker in delirium patients was investigated in comparison with C-reactive protein (CRP).
Methods
：We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients who were referred for consultation for delirium at hospital for one year. The NLR and CRP values at admission and delirium status were divided into the medical and the surgical treatment group, and the interaction between them was analyzed through repeated mea-sures ANOVA.
Results
：NLR was maintained without significant difference before and after delirium in the medical treat-ment group and the surgical treatment group, but CRP decreased in the medical treatment group and increased in the surgical treatment group during delirium, showing a significant interaction.
Conclusions
：In delirium patients, the NLR remained constant, but the CRP differed according to the treatment group and the delirium state. This suggests the possibility that NLR could be used complementary to CRP as an in-flammatory marker in delirium patients.

Keyword

Neutrophil lymphocyte ratio; C-reactive protein; Delirium; Biomarker