Reduced platelet-lymphocyte ratio in a Saudi population with impaired fasting glycemia and hyperglycemia

Abstract

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is an inflammatory disorder characterized by elevated fasting blood glucose (FBG) with life-threatening complications. However, the physiological response of peripheral blood cells to impaired fasting glycemia (IFG) and hyperglycemia (HG) is ill-defined. Aim: In this report, we investigated the patterns of change in platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) relative to glycemic control. Methods: WBC count, PLR, C-reactive protein (CRP), FBG, HbA1c, and Hb results for 1,793 subjects were retrospectively analyzed. Results: PLR was significantly reduced in HG compared to IFG and to normoglycemia (NG) while FBG was only significantly lower in males with elevated PLR. Increased PLR was less prevalent in subjects with HG and was a protective factor against HG. Upon stratification by HbA1c, PLR was found to be significantly lower in IFG compared to NG only in females. Importantly, PLR performed better than CRP in discriminating NG and HG in females. Conclusion: This report provides insights into the cellular physiological response to DM and evaluates PLR as a novel marker for DM management.

Keywords

• Diabetes
• Inflammation
• Platelet-lymphocyte ratio
• Biomarkers