Peripheral Blood Cell Profile and Monocyte HDL Ratio in Alzheimer’s Disease: A Hospital-Based Case-Control Study

Abstract

Abstract Background: The monocyte/HDL-C ratio (MHR) has emerged as a new marker of inflammation in recent years. The purpose of this research was to examine the distinction of MHR between individuals with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and healthy individuals, and to assess its feasibility as a straightforward and easily computable biomarker for evaluating the severity of the disease. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted with 184 subjects admitted for various reasons at the Neurology Outpatient Department of Giresun University Faculty of Medicine. The hospital’s electronic patient record data between September 2021 and April 2022 were screened. Results: Individuals diagnosed with AD were classified into three subgroups based on the progression of the disease: mild, moderate, and severe. MHR was higher in the moderate and severe dementia subgroups compared with the controls according to subgroup analysis (P=0.013). An increase in MHR was found in patients with AD. The multivariate logistic regression analysis model revealed that a one-unit increase in MHR resulted in 1.081 times increase in the risk of AD (OR: 1.081 (CI: 1.005-1.162; P= 0.035). Conclusion: This is the first study in the literature exhibiting an increased MHR value in AD. High MHR values in the late stages of the disease demonstrate a potential for MHR to predict the prognosis. It might be a marker reflecting increased cardiovascular risk and an unfavorable prognosis in patients with AD.