Table 1 Baseline characteristics (1st NLR).

From: Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and all-cause mortality with and without myeloproliferative neoplasms—a Danish longitudinal study

 

No MPN

Transition to MPNa

Prevalent MPN

p value

N

% / Mean (SD)

N

% / Mean (SD)

N

% / Mean (SD)

Sex

 Female

471,929

56.7

1042

58.1

354

57.5

0.4

 Male

361,091

43.3

752

41.9

262

42.5

Age

833,020

51.4 (18.8)

1794

61.4 (14.4)

616

68.3 (13.8)

<2.2 × 10–16

Education

 Primary school

201,035

24.1

524

29.2

186

30.2

<2.2 × 10–16

 High school

39,975

4.8

47

2.6

11

1.8

 Vocational training

294,608

35.4

710

39.6

225

36.5

 Bachelor

135,398

16.3

285

15.9

65

10.6

 Higher education

102,396

12.3

132

7.4

51

8.3

 Unknown

59,608

7.2

96

5.4

78

12.7

Glucocorticoids

 No use

820,581

98.5

1769

98.6

601

97.6

0.3

 Early use

8474

1

15

0.8

10

1.6

 Late use

3965

0.5

10

0.6

5

0.8

Comorbidities

 Hypertension

207,457

24.9

713

39.7

349

56.7

<2.2 × 10–16

 Hyperlipidemia

71,689

8.6

250

13.9

95

15.4

<2.2 × 10–16

 IHD

60,607

7.3

198

11

118

19.2

<2.2 × 10–16

 COPD

29,574

3.6

82

4.6

56

9.1

7.4 × 10–14

 Arterial disease

74,689

9

273

15.2

187

30.4

<2.2 × 10–16

 Venous disease

19,541

2.3

69

3.8

53

8.6

<2.2 × 10–16

 CCI-score

  0

591,720

71

1097

61.1

246

39.9

<2.2 × 10–16

  1–2

185,573

22.3

560

31.2

237

38.5

  ≥3

55,727

6.7

137

7.6

133

21.6

Blood cell counts

 Neutrophils (x109/L)

833,020

5.1 (3)

1794

6.8 (4.4)

616

7 (5.9)

<2.2 × 10–16

 Lymphocytes (x109/L)

833,020

2.1 (2)

1794

2.1 (1.4)

616

1.7 (0.9)

<2.2 × 10–16

 NLR

833,020

3.1 (3.4)

1794

3.9 (3.5)

616

5 (5.4)

<2.2 × 10–16

 CRP-level

  No CRP

442,750

53.2

1121

62.5

506

82.1

<2.2 × 10–16

  CRP ≤ 10 mg/L

293,243

35.2

517

28.8

71

11.5

  CRP > 10 mg/L

97,027

11.6

156

8.7

39

6.3

  1. Early glucocorticoid use was defined as any redeemed prescription −15 prior to the first blood sample date.
  2. Late glucocorticoid use was defined as any redeemed prescription −16 to −30 days prior to the first blood sample date.
  3. Hypertension and hyperlipidemia were defined by antihypertensive or lipid-lowering medication.
  4. The blood sample date was used as the index date for the retrospective assessment of comorbidities.
  5. CCI Charlson comorbidity index score, NLR Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, Prevalent MPN Individuals with myeloproliferative neoplasm at the 1st NLR, IHD Ischemic heart disease, COPD Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, CRP C-reactive protein.
  6. aTransition to MPN: Individuals with no MPN at the 1st NLR but diagnosed with incident MPN during follow-up.