Abstract: 【Abstract】Objective To explore the effect of platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR) on all-cause mortality in maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients. Methods The MHD patients with regular hemodialysis for more than 3 months and stable condition and treated in the Hemodialysis Center, Dongfeng General Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinzhou Medical University were retrospectively analyzed. PLR was calculated from the results of blood routine. The patients were divided into four groups (Q1~Q4 group) based on quartile range. Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test were used to compare the survival rates among the 4 groups. COX regression model was used to analyze the risk factors for all-cause death in MHD patients. Results A total of 283 MHD patients were enrolled in this study, with the average age of 63.88±15.40 years old, and the median dialysis vintage of 3.24 (1.82, 6.05) months. Kaplan-Meier survival curve showed that patients with baseline PLR ≥196.44 had higher all-cause mortality (log-rank test, χ2=53.128, P＜0.001). After adjustment for multiple confounding factors, PLR was still linked to the risk of all- cause death. The risk of all- cause death in the Q4 group was 3.776 times higher than that in the Q1 group (HR=4.776, 95% CI 1.580～14.437, P=0.006). Conclusion Higher PLR is associated with higher all-cause mortality in MHD patients and is a strong predictor for all-cause mortality in MHD patients.

Key words: Platelet/lymphocyte ratio, Renal dialysis, Mortality, Risk factors