Introduction: C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) which are used for assessment of axial spondyloarthritis (AxSpA) related disease activity have poor specificity and sensitivity. Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and mean platelet volume (MPV) have not been investigated as disease activity markers among Asian AxSpA patients.
Methodology: A retrospective, cross-sectional study was conducted in Singapore General Hospital from January 2013 to December 2015 to investigate the role of NLR, PLR and MPV as disease activity markers in AxSpA patients.
Results: The mean age of patients (n = 122) was 37.0 ± 12.5 years old and majority of them were male (n = 93, 76.2%). No significant differences were found between patients with disease with regards to age, gender, ethnicity, HLAB-27 status, age at onset of diagnosis of AxSpA, duration of disease and comorbidities such as cardiac disease (p > 0.05). There were no significant differences in the ESR, NLR, PLR and MPV between the four disease activity groups (p > 0.05). However, patients with very high disease activity had higher ESR and CRP compared to patients with inactive disease and moderate disease activity (p < 0.05).
Conclusion: NLR, PLR and MPV were not associated with disease activity in Asian AxSpA patients.
Keywords: Disease activity; ankylosing spondylitis; axial spondyloarthritis; biomarkers; inflammatory mediators.