Evaluation of Platelet-to-Lymphocyte and Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratios in Egyptian Children with Iron Deficiency Anemia: A Comparative Cross-Sectional Study

Background: The platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), which are calculated from complete blood count (CBC), are cheap, easy to get, and useful marker of inflammation and the immune system's reaction. Purpose: The authors aimed to compare children with iron deficiency anemia (IDA) to healthy groups in terms of their differential leukocyte count, platelet to lymphocyte ratio, and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio.
Patients and Methods: This comparative cross-sectional study included 61 children (24 children with IDA and 37 healthy children as control group, with matched age and sex) aged from 2–16 years recruited from the outpatient clinic, at Helwan University Hospital, Egypt. CBC was performed for all participants. Then PLR and NLR were calculated. Serum ferritin and transferrin saturation were further withdrawn only from children with IDA.
Results: Total leukocytes count and its subsets did not vary statistically significantly between people with IDA and healthy children.  IDA patients were much more likely to significantly have abnormal cell counts (leukocytosis/leukopenia) (p < /em> < 0.05).  There was no significant difference between the healthy control group and the children with IDA in the PLR and NLR ratios (P > 0.05).
Conclusion: Our findings suggest that PLR, NLR, and leukocyte subgroups do not significantly differ between children with IDA and healthy controls. However, abnormal leukocyte counts were more frequent in IDA patients, highlighting potential immune alterations associated with iron deficiency.