Effect of aerobic exercise on neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio, platelet–lymphocyte ratio, and lymphocyte–monocyte ratio in burn patients: A randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Background: This study aimed to investigate the effects of aerobic exercises in addition to standard treatment on parameters such as neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet–lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and lymphocyte–monocyte ratio (LMR) in patients with burns. Methods: A total of 31 hospitalized patients included in the study were divided into two groups using covariate adaptive randomization method according to burn percentage and burn type (1st:standard treatment, 2nd: standard treatment + aerobic training). NLR, PLR, and LMR were evaluated for 5 weeks in all groups. Independent samples t-test and Mann–Whitney U test were used to examine differences between the two groups. For comparing more than two groups, Friedman's test was used for non-normally distributed variables and Bonferroni test was used as the post hoc pairwise comparison method. Results: Intragroup comparison of individuals in group 1 showed that the NLR values on days 7 and 14 were significantly higher than those on days 28 and 35 (p < 0.05). Intragroup comparison of individuals in group 2 showed that the NLR values on days 1, 7, and 14 were significantly higher than those on days 21 and 35. Additionally, the NLR values on day 14 were higher than those on day 28. Individuals in group 1 showed a significant increase in PLR values each week (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The addition of aerobic training to standard treatment in patients with burns may be more effective in improving inflammation markers such as NLR, PLR, and LMR. © 2024 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons