The Monocyte-to-Lymphocyte Ratio Predicts Acute Kidney Injury After Acute Hemorrhagic Stroke

OBJECTIVES: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a serious complication of acute hemorrhagic stroke (AHS). Early detection and early treatment are crucial for patients with AKI. We conducted a study to analyze the role of the monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR) in predicting the development of AKI after AHS. METHODS: This retrospective observational study enrolled all subjects with AHS who attended the neurosurgical intensive care unit (NSICU) at the First Affiliated University of South China between 2018 and 2021. Patient demographics, laboratory data, treatment details, and clinical outcomes were recorded. RESULTS: Of the 771 enrolled patients, 180 (23.3%) patients developed AKI. Compared to patients without AKI, those with AKI had a higher MLR and the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) at admission (P < 0.001). The MLR and the NLR at admission were associated with an increased AKI risk, with odds ratios (ORs) of 8.27 (95% CI: 4.23, 16.17, p < 0.001) and 1.17 (95% CI: 1.12, 1.22, p < 0.001), respectively. The receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis was conducted to analyze the ability of the MLR and NLR to predict AKI, and the areas under the curve (AUCs) of the MLR and the NLR were 0.73 (95% CI: 0.69, 0.77, p < 0.001) and 0.67 (95% CI: 0.62, 0.72, p < 0.001), with optimal cutoff values of 0.5556 and 11.65, respectively. The MLR and the NLR at admission were associated with an increased in-hospital mortality risk, with ORs of 3.13 (95% CI: 1.08, 9.04) and 1.07 (95% CI: 1.00, 1.14), respectively. The AUCs of the MLR and the NLR for predicting in-hospital mortality were 0.62 (95% CI: 0.54, 0.71, p = 0.004) and 0.52 (95% CI: 0.43, 0.62, p = 0.568), respectively. The optimal cutoff value for the MLR was 0.7059, with a sensitivity of 51% and a specificity of 73.3%. CONCLUSIONS: MLR and NLR measurements in patients with AHS at admission could be valuable tools for identifying patients at high risk of early AKI. The MLR was positively associated with in-hospital mortality and the NLR showed a weak ability for the prediction of in-hospital mortality.