Gout is an auto-inflammatory disease caused by accumulation of monosodium urate crystals in tissues and organs due to hyperuricemia. Neutrophils, lymphocytes and monocytes play a role in acute gouty arthritis (AGA) pathogenesis, directly or indirectly, and/or via complex interaction between them. Ratios between these immune system elements have been listed in inflammatory markers which have been used more frequently recently. The present study is the first one to evaluate neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR) in gout, and to investigate the correlation between these and AGA. We found that NLR and MLR were higher in AGA patients when compared with patients in remission and controls, and they had correlations with other inflammatory markers, which suggested a possible correlation with AGA. In conclusion, NLR and MLR values could be used as a cheap and useful inflammatory marker to predict arthritis attacks in patients with gout.

It has been suggested that low-level mean platelet volume (MPV) in humans may be related to secondary thrombosis due to inflammation. For this reason, MPV can be used as a marker showing inflammation in the body. In this study, we found a strong association between MPV and erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein in patients with rheumatic diseases. Thus, MPV may be used as a negative acute-phase reactant in rheumatic diseases.