What does this research mean for the field?

NLR, MLR, and CRP/ALB levels are significantly and positively correlated with the severity of coronary artery disease and have high diagnostic and predictive value for CHD patients. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.CONFIRMATORY. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.SUPPORTS_CONSENSUS.

What question did this study set out to answer?

This research aims to explore how certain inflammatory ratios correlate with the severity of coronary artery disease and their predictive values.

March 8, 2026Open Access

Correlation of neutrophil/lymphocyte, monocyte/lymphocyte, and CRP/ALB ratios with the extent of coronary artery lesions and their predictive value

Key Points

This research aims to explore how certain inflammatory ratios correlate with the severity of coronary artery disease and their predictive values.
Retrospective analysis of 510 patients undergoing coronary angiography for suspected coronary artery disease.
Comparison of neutrophil/lymphocyte (NLR), monocyte/lymphocyte (MLR), and CRP/ALB levels between CHD patients and a control group.
Evaluation of coronary stenosis severity using the Gensini score and statistical analyses using Pearson and Spearman coefficients.
Logistic regression was utilized to identify independent risk factors for CHD.
NLR, MLR, and CRP/ALB levels were significantly higher in CHD patients compared to controls (P < 0.001).
Positive correlations were found between NLR (r = 0.546), MLR (r = 0.445), CRP/ALB (r = 0.500), and the Gensini score in CHD patients.
Independent predictors of CHD included male gender, hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and elevated inflammatory ratios, while HDL-C was protective.
The combined diagnostic capability of NLR, MLR, and CRP/ALB showed an AUC of 0.931, significantly higher than using single indicators.

Abstract

Objective The aim of this paper was to investigate the correlation between neutrophil/lymphocyte (NLR), monocyte/lymphocyte (MLR), and CRP/ALB ratios with the degree of coronary artery disease and their predictive value. Methods This study retrospectively analyzed 510 patients with clinically proposed coronary artery disease who underwent coronary angiography between January 2022 to December 2024, 256 in the group with a definite diagnosis of coronary artery disease after examination, and 254 in the control group. Baseline data of all study subjects were collected and organized, and NLR, MLR, and CRP/ALB levels were compared in the control group and CHD patients. Coronary stenosis severity was scored by Gensini score. Pearson or Spearman correlation coefficients were used to analyze the correlation between NLR, MLR, and CRP/ALB levels and the Gensini score, respectively, in CHD patients. Factors influencing the occurrence of CHD were analyzed by logistic regression. The diagnostic value of NLR, MLR, and CRP/ALB in CHD patients was analyzed by ROC curve. Results The levels of NLR, MLR, and CRP/ALB were significantly higher in CHD patients than in the control group (all P 0.001). There was a significant positive correlation between NLR (r = 0.546), MLR (r = 0.445), and CRP/ALB (r = 0.500) and the Gensini scores in CHD patients. Further analysis revealed that gender (male), hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, family history, DBP, TG, FBG, UA, NLR, MLR, and CRP/ALB were independent risk factors for the development of CHD, whereas HDL-C demonstrated an independent protective effect against CHD. The area under the curve (AUC) was significantly higher in the case of the combined diagnosis of CHD with NLR, MLR, and CRP/ALB (AUC reached 0.931, with a sensitivity of 86.33% and a specificity of 83.86%), which was significantly better than that of single-indicator diagnosis (all P 0.001). Conclusion The levels of NLR, MLR, and CRP/ALB in CHD patients were all significantly and positively correlated with the degree of coronary artery disease; moreover, the levels of NLR, MLR, and CRP/ALB have high diagnostic and predictive value for CHD patients.

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