# Associations of eosinophil-to-monocyte ratio and C-reactive protein-to-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio with early neurological deterioration after thrombolysis in acute ischemic stroke

## TL;DR

This study finds that lower eosinophil-to-monocyte ratios and higher C-reactive protein to HDL cholesterol ratios are linked to neurological deterioration after stroke treatment.

## Contribution

The study identifies EMR and CRP/HDL-C as potential biomarkers for predicting neurological deterioration after thrombolysis in stroke patients.

## Key findings

- Lower EMR and higher CRP/HDL-C ratio are independently associated with post-thrombolysis neurological deterioration.
- EMR had a stronger predictive value (AUC of 0.757) compared to CRP/HDL-C (AUC of 0.61).
- Patients with END had significantly different blood pressure, cell counts, and NIHSS scores compared to others.

## Abstract

Inflammation mechanisms play critical roles in acute ischemic stroke (AIS). However, the correlations of the eosinophil-to-monocyte ratio (EMR) and blood C-reactive protein to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (CRP/HDL-C) ratio with post-thrombolysis early neurological deterioration (END) in patients with AIS remain uncertain.

Patients with AIS who received intravenous thrombolysis therapy from January 2020 to February 2025 were retrospectively recruited for this study. CRP level, blood lipid concentrations, and complete blood count measurements were recorded within 24 h of admission. Post-thrombolysis END was defined as an increase in the U.S National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score of ≥ 4 points compared to the initial NIHSS score taken within 24 h of initiating intravenous thrombolysis. Multivariate logistic regression modeling was performed to evaluate the correlations of EMR and the CRP/HDL-C ratio to post-thrombolysis END. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to analyze the predictive value of both EMR and the CRP/HDL-C ratio in patients with post-thrombolysis END.

Among 473 recruited patients, 103 (21.78%) were diagnosed with post-thrombolysis END. Patients with END had significantly higher systolic and diastolic blood pressures, white blood cell and monocyte counts, CRP levels, CRP/HDL-C ratios, and NIHSS scores on admission, while their eosinophil counts and EMRs were significantly lower. The multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that EMR (odds ratio [OR], 0.03 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.01–0.14]; p < 0.001) and CRP/HDL-C (odds ratio, 1.04[95%CI 1.01–1.08]; p = 0.025) were independently associated with END after adjusting for potential confounders. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) for EMR and the CRP/HDL-C ratio were 0.757 (95% CI, 0.709–0.805) and 0.61 (95% CI, 0.545–0.675), respectively.

A lower EMR level and a higher CRP/HDL-C ratio in patients with AIS are independently associated with post-thrombolysis END. EMR and the CRP/HDL-C ratio may be potential biomarkers for post-thrombolysis END.