A High Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio Is Associated with Recovery from Ramsay Hunt Syndrome

Background: Prediction of the severity and outcomes of Ramsay Hunt syndrome (RHS) is difficult. Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the predictive power of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) for the severity and outcomes of RHS. Material and Methods: From 2007 to 2017, a retrospective study of 102 hospitalized patients with RHS was conducted. The degree of paralysis was assessed by determining the House-Brackmann (H-B) grade. Obesity, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus were assessed, and the blood NLR and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio were determined. The patients received steroids and antivirals, and were followed in the outpatient department at 1, 4, 12, and 24 weeks. Results: The H-B grade of the high-NLR group was significantly higher than that of the normal-NLR group (p = 0.039), and the probability of complete recovery was significantly lower in the high-NLR group (p = 0.048). Conclusions: Patients with RHS who have an elevated NLR have poor outcomes in terms of the H-B grade. Therefore, the NLR may be useful for evaluating the prognosis of patients with RHS.