ANALYZING NEUTROPHIL-TO-LYMPHOCYTE RATIOS IN LONG COVID

Active long coronavirus disease (COVID) constitutes a considerable clinical problem with enduring symptoms impacting patients’ months beyond the initial coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection. This research examined the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) as a prospective biomarker for active long COVID sequalae, analyzing the effects of age and gender on inflammatory responses. I performed a retrospective chart review of Parkview Regional Medical Center healthcare data from 90 active long-COVID patients and 90 matched controls. NLR levels, collected overtime, were examined by repeated measures multifactorial ANOVA to evaluate the impacts of age, gender, and disease status on NLR levels in patients that develop active long COVID and those that do not. Elderly adults, especially males more than females, had much higher and sustained mean NLR levels in comparison to younger groups. Statistical studies indicated significant interaction effects among age, gender, and disease state (p ≤ 0.05), indicating that demographic variables considerably influence inflammatory responses in active long COVID sequalae. The data supports the idea that chronic inflammation, as shown by a higher NLR and/or a variable NLR overtime, is linked to active long COVID. The identified age and gender disparities have potential effects on immune function. NLR serves as a potential and accessible biomarker for assessing patients’ risks of developing active long COVID sequalae.