New inflammatory markers in pre-eclampsia: echocardiographic epicardial fat thickness and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio. (November 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Oylumlu, Mustafa; Ozler, Ali; Yildiz, Abdulkadir; Oylumlu, Muhammed; Acet, Halit; Polat, Nihat; Soydinc, Hatice Ender; Yuksel, Murat; Ertas, Faruk
• Is Part Of: Clinical and experimental hypertension. Volume 36:Number 7(2014)
• Page Start: 503
• Page End: 507
• Publication Date: 2014-11
• Subjects: Hypertension -- Chemotherapy -- Periodicals; Hypotensive agents -- Periodicals; 616.132
• DOI: 10.3109/10641963.2013.863324
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1064-1963

Abstract

<abstract> <title>Abstract</title> <p> <italic>Background</italic>: Increased epicardial fat thickness (EFT) has been proposed as a new cardiometabolic risk factor. The neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has predictive and prognostic value in several cardiovascular diseases. The aim of this study was to explore the association between EFT and NLR in patients with pre-eclampsia.</p> <p> <italic>Methods</italic>: Hundred and eight pregnant patients with a mean age of 30.6 ± 6.3 years were included in the study. Patients were divided into two groups based on the presence of pre-eclampsia. All participants underwent transthoracic echocardiography imaging, and complete blood counts were measured by an automated hematology analyzer. Statistical analysis was performed using the Chi-square, Mann–Whitney <italic>U</italic>, correlation and logistic regression tests, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis.</p> <p> <italic>Result</italic>: The mean EFT value of the pre-eclampsia group was significantly higher than the control group (6.9 ± 0.6 versus 5.6 ± 0.6; <italic>p</italic> < 0.001), and the NLR value of the pre-eclampsia group was also significantly higher than the control group (7.3 ± 3.5 versus 3.1 ± 1.1; <italic>p</italic> < 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that increased levels of NLR and echocardiographic EFT are independent predictors of pre-eclampsia. In the receiver operating characteristic analysis, a level of EFT ≥ 6.2 mm and NLR ≥ 4.1 predicted the presence of pre-eclampsia with 77.8% sensitivity, 79.6% specificity and 83.3% sensitivity, 81.5% specificity, respectively.</p> <p> <italic>Conclusion</italic>: Unlike many other inflammatory markers and bioassays, NLR and echocardiographic EFT are inexpensive and readily available biomarkers that may be useful for risk stratification in patients with pre-eclampsia.</p> </abstract>