Changes of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and red blood cell distribution width in ankylosing spondylitis

Objectives: Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and red blood cell distribution width (RDW) are increased in inflammation-associated diseases. However, a clinical evaluation of these markers in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) has never been reported. In this study we analyzed the NLR and RDW in patients with AS, exploring their value in evaluating inflammation in AS. Methods: According to the New York AS standard revised in 1984, 74 newly-diagnosed AS patients who had received no previous medical treatment were recruited, along with 195 healthy controls who visited the hospital for regular physical examination. Parallel detection of laboratory indicators including NLR, RDW, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and other clinical markers was carried out for both groups. SPSS17.0 software was used for statistical analysis. Results: The NLR and RDW in AS patients was significantly higher than in healthy controls, and both were significantly positively correlated with hs-CRP and ESR. Conclusions: NLR and RDW can be used as metrics to evaluate the inflammatory activity in AS.