Red blood cell distribution width and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio are associated with outcomes of adult subarachnoid haemorrhage patients admitted to intensive care unit.

Background Red blood cell distribution width (RDW) and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) have been reported to be associated with outcomes of acute cerebral infarction. However, their prognostic value in patients with subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) remains largely unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the prognostic value of RDW and NLR in SAH patients. Methods Medical records of adult SAH patients admitted to intensive care unit (ICU) were extracted from Multiparameter Intelligent Monitoring in Intensive Care II (MIMIC II, version 2.6), a publicly accessible ICU database. Prognostic value of RDW and NLR was analysed using logistic regression model, Kaplan-Meier curve analysis and Cox regression model. Results A total of 274 SAH patients were included. Patients died in hospital had significantly higher RDW and NLR. RDW and NLR were significantly associated with hospital death, with adjusted odds ratios of 1.39 (95% CI, 1.06-1.82) and 1.04 (95% CI, 1.00-1.08), respectively. Furthermore, increased RDW and NLR were associated with higher one-year mortality, with an adjusted hazard ratio of 1.20 (95% CI, 1.02-1.41) for per 1% increased RDW and 1.03 (95% CI, 1.00-1.05) for per 1 increased NLR. Conclusion RDW and NLR are useful indices to evaluate the outcomes of ICU admitted patients with SAH.