Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio: An effective predictor of corticosteroid response in IgA nephropathy

Background: The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has been shown to have a strong predictive ability for the prognosis of various diseases. However, the role of the NLR in IgA nephropathy is currently unknown. In this study, we attempted to evaluate how useful the NLR is for predicting corticosteroid response in IgA nephropathy. Methods: For retrospective cohort with IgA nephropathy, the patients who received corticosteroid therapy were recruited. To identify independent factors for corticosteroid response, the NLR and other parameters were analyzed using the multivariate regression model. The predictive usefulness was determined by the area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUROC). Survival analysis was conducted to compare the corticosteroid response between different groups according to the cut-off of NLR. Results: Multivariate analyses showed that NLR, serum creatinine, uric acid, and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) were independent factors for corticosteroid response. The AUROC of NLR (0.748) was higher than those of other factors. Patients with NLRs < 2.43 had a higher remission rate than those with NLR >= 2.43 (P < 0.001). Conclusion: NLR is an effective predictor of corticosteroid response in IgA nephropathy.