NLR (neutrophils/lymphocytes)
Immune system healthNLR reflects the balance between neutrophils which drive early inflammation and lymphocytes which regulate immune control.
Reference range
0.783.92
Intermediate
Normal
High
Source: Ahead Health benchmark
Reference ranges may vary between labs and assays. Always interpret results with your healthcare provider.
Why this matters
Higher values indicate inflammatory or physiological stress. NLR is associated with cardiovascular risk, severe infections, cancer prognosis, and metabolic dysfunction. It helps detect immune imbalance early.
How this connects to other biomarkers
- NLR (Neutrophils/Lymphocytes) > 3 reflects systemic inflammatory stress and is independently associated with worse outcomes in cardiovascular disease, cancer, infection, and critical illness.
- NLR rises with acute bacterial infection (high Neutrophils (abs.), low Lymphocytes (abs.)), corticosteroid use, and chronic stress.
- The Systemic Immune-Inflammation Index (SII) and Systemic Inflammation Response Index (SIRI) integrate platelet/monocyte counts for richer prognostic information.
Included in
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