Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio, and monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio as prognostic indicators in Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia

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Source: Frontiers Medicine

Original: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmed.2026.1763688...

Published: 2026-02-09T00:00:00Z

Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP) is a life-threatening infection with high mortality especially in immunocompromised patients such as HIV patients. The study investigated the prognostic value of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR), and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) in patients with PJP. Post-diagnosis trajectories of these ratios were analyzed using group trajectory modeling. Three NLR trajectories were identified: continuously decreasing (15%), stable (68%), and continuously increasing (17%). Patients with continuously decreasing NLR had a significantly lower 28-day survival (P < 0.05). Log-transformed NLR (logNLR) trajectory was an independent prognostic factor, while logMLR and logPLR were not significantly associated with outcomes. A persistently decreasing logNLR predicts a poor prognosis and serves for early risk stratification.