Elevated levels of monocyte-lymphocyte ratio and platelet-lymphocyte ratio in adolescents with non-suicidal self-injury

Abstract

Abstract Background Neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio (NLR), monocyte-lymphocyte ratio (MLR), and platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) are blood indicators of systemic inflammation. This study aims to compare the levels of inflammatory indicators derived from blood routine tests between adolescents with non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) and those with non-NSSI. Methods A total of 201 adolescents with mood or emotional disorders were enrolled in this study, among which 106 had engaged in NSSI and 95 had never engaged in NSSI. NLR, MLR, and PLR were calculated based on the complete blood cell count. Results There was no significant difference in demographic data between the two groups. The NSSI group exhibited significantly higher MLR (P = 0.001) and PLR (P = 0.007) than the non-NSSI group. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that MLR (OR 1.545, 95%CI [1.087–2.281], P = 0.021) and PLR (OR 1.327, 95%CI [1.215–1.450], P < 0.001) were independently associated with NSSI. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses demonstrated that for differentiating NSSI from non-NSSI, the optimal cut-off value of MLR was 0.135 and the area under curve was 0.638 ([0.561- 0.715], P < 0.001), with a sensitivity of 90.60% and a specificity of 33.70%; the optimal cut-off value of PLR was 127.505 and the area under curve was of 0.611 ([0.533–0.689], P < 0.001), with a sensitivity of 39.60% and a specificity of 81.10%. Conclusions Systemic inflammation, as indicated by elevated MLR and PLR, was found to be strongly associated with NSSI among adolescents.

Keywords

• Adolescents
• Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI)
• Neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio (NLR)
• Monocyte-lymphocyte ratio (MLR)
• Platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR)
• Inflammation