Objective To assess the association between fetal malnutrition (FM) and the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) in singleton term appropriate for gestational age (AGA) neonates. Methods This cross-sectional observational study was performed with 4340 singleton, term AGA neonates without perinatal disease over a two-year period. Results A total of 4320 neonates were evaluated in this study. Those diagnosed with fetal malnutrition, 284 (6%) neonates, were compared with 150 healthy term AGA neonates. Gestational week, birth weight, birth height, head circumference, maternal age, last pregnancy weight, and status of income of the FM group were found to be lower when compared to the control group (P = 0.011). Low last pregnancy weight (P = 0.017) and low level of income (P = 0.042) were found to be factors that affect the presence of FM. The NLR and PLR were found to be significantly higher in the FM group compared with term AGA healthy controls. In correlation analyses, there was a negative correlation between the NLR and PLR with fetal nutritional status (P = 0.011 and P < 0.001, respectively). When the NLR level was taken as 4.51, the sensitivity and specificity of the test for FM were calculated as 81.2% and 80.8%, respectively [area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve (AUROC): 0.81]; when the PLR level was taken as 155.4, the sensitivity and specificity of the test for FM were calculated as 87.0% and 85.4%, respectively (AUROC: 0.94). Conclusion Cord-blood NLR and PLR negatively correlate with term FM AGA neonates.
Keywords: fetal malnutrition; lymphocyte; neutrophil; platelet.