The Relationship between Platelet-Lymphocyte Ratio (PLR) and Neutrophil-Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR) with Helicobacter Pylori Infection in Children

Objectives: Helicobacter pylori (HP) is a common cause of gastritis in children, inducing a low-grade systemic inflammatory response through pro-inflammatory cytokines. Previous studies have demonstrated a correlation between inflammatory mediators and H. pylori infection. This study aims to investigate the relationship between neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) with Helicobacter pylori gastritis in children.

Methods: This study enrolled sixty children aged two months until eighteen years diagnosed with gastritis who underwent a Campylobacter-like Organism (CLO) test following endoscopy. Patients were categorized into HP positive and HP negative groups. NLR and PLR were obtained from routine blood tests and analyzed for their association between the two groups.

Results: Of the sixty patients, 65% were girls, with a mean age of 11.43 ± 3.66 years. The study found a median NLR of 1.29 (IQR 0.68–2.97) and a mean PLR of 118.27 ± 36.64. The median NLR in the HP positive group (1.53 [0.84–2.64]) was higher than in the HP negative group (1.19 [0.68–2.97]), although the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.569). A similar trend was observed for PLR, with a higher mean in the HP positive group (120.72 ± 44.6) compared to the negative group (115.82 ± 27.06), but without significant difference (p = 0.610). There were no significant differences between the two groups in hematological parameters such as hemoglobin, platelet count, leukocytes, neutrophils, or lymphocytes (p > 0.05).

Conclusion: Although NLR and PLR are accessible and cost-effective biomarkers, their inability to accurately predict H. pyloriinfection indicates that they are not yet suitable to replace or support conventional diagnostic approaches.