Abstract
The neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (N/L) is an indicator of systemic inflammation and a prognostic marker in patients with several cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Exercise capacity (EC) plays an important role in predicting morbidity and mortality especially in patients with coronary artery disease and heart failure. Studies have been conducted to evaluate the correlation between N/L ratio and EC in CVDs. We searched the PubMed (MEDLINE) database using the keywords “neutrophil”, “lymphocyte”, “neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio”, “cardiovascular disease”, “exercise capacity” and derivatives. Considering the dispersion of these studies as well as reports on prognostic value of N/L ratio in CVDs, we have summarized these findings as a review article. A significant association between higher N/L ratio and low EC was identified, both of which has predictive and prognostic value especially for patients with heart failure.