Blood test marker links inflammation to worse heart failure outcomes
A blood marker called neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (a count of two types of white blood cells) was higher in sicker heart failure patients and predicted hospitalisation or death. A heart failure drug worked equally well regardless of this marker's level.
Why it matters: The marker reflects both inflammation and fluid buildup in heart failure, helping doctors understand who is at higher risk.
Keep in mind: This is an association found after the fact in a drug trial; the marker itself cannot diagnose or predict individual outcomes.
AI-assisted explanation based on the supplied abstract. Read the linked source for full context.
What this changes
The finding has not established an approved change to our evidence assessment.
Source date: Sep 18, 2026 · Discovered: Sep 19, 2026 · Assessed: — · Research update
What it does not prove
- Limitations have not yet been verified. Read the primary source.
Extracted from supplied source material; model confidence is not a measured probability of correctness.
Study details
- Design
- Rct
- Sample size
- 9,706
- Duration
- —
- Population
- Patients with chronic heart failure (CHF), combining EMPEROR-Reduced and EMPEROR-Preserved trials
- Primary outcome
- Time to first heart failure hospitalisation or cardiovascular death
- Effect size
- Adjusted hazard ratio 1.44 (1.16-1.80) for primary outcome comparing highest vs lowest NLR quintile; 14.9% versus 27.3% events
- Significance
- Significant
- Journal
- ESC Heart Failure
- Published
- Sep 18, 2026
Sources
Primary source
- ESC heart failure ↗Peer reviewed
Assessment history
9/24/2026 · SUPERSEDED: Source updated; assessment withdrawn pending review.
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