LAUSR

INTRODUCTION The Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR) has been investigated as an independent predictive marker for clinical outcomes in vascular diseases. This study aimed to investigate the peri-interventional behavior of NLR in patients with ruptured and unruptured intracranial aneurysms (IAs). METHODS 117 patients with IAs, who were treated at our department and had available complete data, were retrospectively identified during a ten-year period. Routine laboratory parameters, including the neutrophil and lymphocytes counts, were evaluated before and after treatment. RESULTS The baseline NLR showed significant differences between patients with ruptured and unruptured IAs (6.3 vs. 1.8; p<0.001). In patients with ruptured IAs, the baseline NLR decreased significantly during the follow-up visits, while in unruptured IAs, the NLR remained low. Furthermore, higher baseline NLR values could also be observed in patients with ruptured IAs and fatal outcome than in surviving patients (8.0 vs. 5.4; p=0.220). In patients with poor functional outcome, defined as modified Rankin Score ≥3, the NLR was significantly higher before treatment (p=0.047), at day 10 (p=0.025) and one month after treatment (p=0.001). CONCLUSIONS The peri-interventional NLR was significantly different between patients with ruptured and unruptured IAs. In patients with ruptured IAs, elevated baseline NLR levels were associated with poor postoperative functional outcomes and decreased postoperatively, implying the potential prognostic value of NLR in patients with IAs.