Association between the Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio and Inpatient Mortality in Hospitalized Older Veterans with COVID-19 Infection

Abstract

Because older adults have suffered disproportionally serious coronavirus disease 2019–related clinical complications, identifying hospitalized older individuals at risk for poor outcomes with a tool like the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, an indicator of systemic inflammation, may help determine prognosis. We studied the ability of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio to predict in-hospital mortality and other outcomes of veterans with coronavirus disease 2019 infection admitted to Veterans Affairs hospitals in Florida from March 1 to August 31, 2020.