Neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio in patients with atrial septal aneurysm

Background: Systemic thromboembolism is a serious, major complication in patients with an atrial septal aneurysm (ASA). Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) is more common in patients with ASA than in the normal population. Neutrophil/ lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has been associated with postoperative AF development in patients who have undergone cardiac surgery. This study investigated NLR in a group of ASA patients compared with a control group of healthy volunteers. Patients and methods: The study group consisted of 40 patients with ASA; the control group consisted of 30 age-, sex-, and body mass index-matched healthy volunteers. All patients and control subjects underwent echocardiographic examination. No patient had a recent history of an acute infection or an inflammatory disease. Baseline NLR was measured by dividing neutrophil count by lymphocyte count. Results: No statistically significant difference was found between the two groups in terms of basic characteristics. Mean NLR was significantly higher among persons with ASA compared with controls (3.4 +/- 1.5 vs 1.6 +/- 0.97, P < 0.001). Conclusion: Our results suggest that a higher NLR, an emerging marker of inflammation, has a positive correlation with ASA. The measurement of NLR may be used to indicate an increased risk of arrhythmia, such as AF, in ASA patients.