Neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio – a simple, accessible measure of inflammation, morbidity and prognosis in psychiatric disorders?

NLR is inexpensive and readily available using division of two measures obtained on routine blood testing. NLR is elevated in a number of psychiatric disorders. It can predict morbidity and mortality in a wide range of non-psychiatric conditions, but this has not been confirmed in psychiatric conditions. It can be calculated in large, pre-existing datasets to investigate clinical correlates of inflammatory processes. NLR may have a future role in identifying patients with an inflammatory phenotype who could benefit from adjunctive anti-inflammatory medications.