Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio correlates with disease activity in myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody associated disease (MOGAD) in children

Abstract

The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) was shown correlate with disease activity in systemic autoimmunity and MS. In a cohort of 62 children with demyelinating diseases; NLR was high both acutely (P<.001) and during remission (P=.01) in AQP4-Ab NMOSD; higher only at time of clinical attack (P<.001) but not at time of remission in MOGAD and not different to that of controls neither during relapse nor remission in MS. The temporal correlation of NLR with MOGAD activity could be used as a supportive biomarker for acute relapse, given that the clinical differentiation between relapses and pseudo-relapses can be challenging.

Keywords: Acquired demyelinating syndromes (ADS); Aquaporin-4 antibody neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD); Multiple sclerosis (MS); Myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody associated disease (MOGAD); Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR).