Predictive value of NLR for the occurrence and clinical outcomes of hypertension: a systematic review and meta-analysis

AIM: This paper aims to perform a meta-analysis to provide the most updated and comprehensive evidence on the link between neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and the development and prognosis of hypertension. MATERIALS & METHODS: Cochrane Library, PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science were thoroughly searched for studies published from the inception of the databases up to 4 May 2024 using the keywords "Lymphocytes," "Neutrophils," "Ratio," and "Hypertension." The odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were extracted for random-effects meta-analysis. We employed Egger's test to check publication bias, sensitivity analyses to identify studies that significantly impacted the meta-analysis results, and subgroup analyses to ascertain the source of heterogeneity. RESULTS: < 0.0001) in hypertensive patients. Sensitivity analyses validated the robustness of the findings, and subgroup analyses ascertained a source of heterogeneity. CONCLUSION: NLR is a reliable and valuable biomarker for predicting both the risk of hypertension and outcomes in hypertensive patients.