Research Article

Neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio and survival in palliative patients: can we predict the day of death?

Volume: 6 Number: 6 December 27, 2025
TR EN

Neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio and survival in palliative patients: can we predict the day of death?

Abstract

Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and short-term (30-day) and long-term (1-year) mortality in palliative inpatients without evidence of infection; to assess the correlation between NLR and time to death; and to determine whether NLR predicts short-term mortality independent of age, functional status, and nutritional risk. Methods: Medical records of patients admitted between January 1, 2019 and January 1, 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients with clinical or laboratory evidence of infection or receiving immunosuppressive therapy were excluded, yielding 335 patients. Demographics, diagnoses, laboratory values, ECOG scores, and NRS-2002 were recorded. NLR was calculated from admission blood counts. Group comparisons used Mann–Whitney U, correlations used Spearman, and predictors of 30-day mortality were tested with multivariate logistic regression including age, NLR, ECOG, and NRS-2002; ROC analysis provided AUC and optimal cut-off. Results: Mean age was 72.3±15.2 years; 54.9% were male; 40.8% had malignancy. NLR was higher in those dying within 30 days (median 9.33 vs. 4.00; p=0.001) and 1-year (median 6.78 vs. 4.01; p=0.001), and correlated with day of death at 30 days (ρ=0.316; p=0.0016). Multivariate analysis identified NLR as an independent predictor of 30-day mortality (OR=1.18; 95% CI: 1.12–1.25; p<0.001), and ROC analysis demonstrated acceptable discriminative performance (AUC=0.731; cut-off ≥9.05). Conclusion: NLR is a simple and inexpensive biomarker associated with mortality and death timing independent of age, functional status, and nutritional risk, and may assist clinical decision-making in palliative care.

Keywords

Supporting Institution

This study received no financial support from any funding agency or commercial sector.

Ethical Statement

This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Sancaktepe Şehit Prof. Dr. İlhan Varank Training and Research Hospital (Approval No: 2021/237, Date: 17/11/2021).

Thanks

The authors wishes to thank Prof. Dr. Umut Safer for valuable mentorship and guidance throughout the design and interpretation of this study.

References

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Palliative Care

Journal Section

Research Article

Publication Date

December 27, 2025

Submission Date

November 4, 2025

Acceptance Date

December 21, 2025

Published in Issue

Year 2025 Volume: 6 Number: 6

APA
Kıraç Utku, İ., & Özkan Sonay, H. (2025). Neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio and survival in palliative patients: can we predict the day of death? Journal of Medicine and Palliative Care, 6(6), 767-773. https://doi.org/10.47582/jompac.1817592
AMA
1.Kıraç Utku İ, Özkan Sonay H. Neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio and survival in palliative patients: can we predict the day of death? J Med Palliat Care / JOMPAC / jompac. 2025;6(6):767-773. doi:10.47582/jompac.1817592
Chicago
Kıraç Utku, İrem, and Hanişe Özkan Sonay. 2025. “Neutrophil/Lymphocyte/Ratio/and/Survival/in/Palliative/Patients:/Can/We/Predict/the/Day/of/Death?”. Journal of Medicine and Palliative Care 6 (6): 767-73. https://doi.org/10.47582/jompac.1817592.
EndNote
Kıraç Utku İ, Özkan Sonay H (December 1, 2025) Neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio and survival in palliative patients: can we predict the day of death? Journal of Medicine and Palliative Care 6 6 767–773.
IEEE
[1]İ. Kıraç Utku and H. Özkan Sonay, “Neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio and survival in palliative patients: can we predict the day of death?”, J Med Palliat Care / JOMPAC / jompac, vol. 6, no. 6, pp. 767–773, Dec. 2025, doi: 10.47582/jompac.1817592.
ISNAD
Kıraç Utku, İrem - Özkan Sonay, Hanişe. “Neutrophil/Lymphocyte/Ratio/and/Survival/in/Palliative/Patients:/Can/We/Predict/the/Day/of/Death?”. Journal of Medicine and Palliative Care 6/6 (December 1, 2025): 767-773. https://doi.org/10.47582/jompac.1817592.
JAMA
1.Kıraç Utku İ, Özkan Sonay H. Neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio and survival in palliative patients: can we predict the day of death? J Med Palliat Care / JOMPAC / jompac. 2025;6:767–773.
MLA
Kıraç Utku, İrem, and Hanişe Özkan Sonay. “Neutrophil/Lymphocyte/Ratio/and/Survival/in/Palliative/Patients:/Can/We/Predict/the/Day/of/Death?”. Journal of Medicine and Palliative Care, vol. 6, no. 6, Dec. 2025, pp. 767-73, doi:10.47582/jompac.1817592.
Vancouver
1.İrem Kıraç Utku, Hanişe Özkan Sonay. Neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio and survival in palliative patients: can we predict the day of death? J Med Palliat Care / JOMPAC / jompac. 2025 Dec. 1;6(6):767-73. doi:10.47582/jompac.1817592

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