Predictive Values of NLR, PLR and MPV for Pre-Eclampsia in Pregnancy: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study in a Teaching Hospital, Ghana

Aim: To assess the predictive values of neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and mean platelet volume (MPV) for pre-eclampsia in pregnancy.

Study Design: Retrospective cross-sectional study.

Place and Duration of Study: Obstetrics and Gynecology unit of Tamale Teaching Hospital, Tamale, Ghana from 1st January, 2021 to 31st December, 2021.

Methodology: The study recruited 161 pregnant women (79 pre-eclamptic pregnant women and 82 apparently healthy pregnant women as controls). Full blood count parameters were assessed using fully automated haematology analyzer. Neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio, and platelet/lymphocyte ratio were calculated. Data analysis was done with SPSS version 22.0 and P<0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results: Pregnant women with PE had lower parity (P< .001) and gestational ages (P< .001) than their counterparts without PE. Haemoglobin (P= .007), red blood cells (P= .003), haematocrit (P= .01), absolute monocyte (P= .001) and MPV (P= .02) were significantly higher in the PE group compared to the controls. Also, pregnant women with PE had relatively higher MPV compared with the apparently healthy pregnant women without pre-eclampsia (P= .02), but NLR and PLR were not different between the two groups. Again, MPV significantly predicted PE (AUC: 0.609, P< .02) in pregnancy than NLR and PLR.

Conclusion: Lower parity and gestational ages are significantly associated with pre-eclampsia. Hb, RBC, HCT, absolute monocyte count and MPV were higher in pre-eclamptic pregnant women. MPV is a better marker for predicting asymptomatic PE in pregnancy. NLR and PLR did not significantly predict PE in pregnancy.