Neutrophil-Lymphocyte Ratio as a Mortality Predictor in Intensive Care Patients

Abstract

Systemic inflammatory response markers such as lactate, C-reactive protein, and procalcitonin are commonly used to predict mortality in intensive care unit patients. One potential alternative to these markers is the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio, which can be calculated based on a patient’s blood cell count. This study aims to determine the potential of the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio as a predictor of length of stay and mortality in intensive care patients. This study employed an analytical cross-sectional design, conducted at the Intensive Care Unit of Royal Prima Hospital in Medan, involving 170 patients. The data used in this study were secondary data obtained from patients’ medical records. The results of this study found that the majority of intensive care patients had a neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio greater than 3 (94.1%), were hospitalized for less than 7 days (84.7%), and 92.4% of patients died during their hospitalization. Data analysis revealed that although the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio was not significantly associated with the length of stay (p > 0.05), patient mortality was significantly associated with both the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (p < 0.005) and the length of stay (p < 0.05). Multivariate analysis revealed that patient mortality in the intensive care unit was influenced by the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio and length of hospitalization, with the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio being the most significant factor affecting patient mortality (p < 0.005; OR: 11.978). It can be concluded that the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio is a reliable predictor of mortality in intensive care patients, but its accuracy in predicting patient length of stay is less pronounced.