Chocolate Consumers and Lymphocyte-to-Monocyte Ratio: A Working Hypothesis from a Preliminary Report of a Pilot Study in Celiac Subjects

• Published in: Antioxidants Vol. 8; no. 10; p. 440
• Main Authors: Raguzzini, Anna, Poce, Giovanna, Consalvi, Sara, Toti, Elisabetta, Palmacci, Francesca, Biava, Mariangela, Peluso, Ilaria
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 01.10.2019; MDPI
• Subjects: Anemia; antinutritional factors; Antioxidants; Blood pressure; Cardiovascular disease; Celiac disease; Chocolate; Cocoa; Communication; Consumers; Consumption; Diet; erythrocyte count; Erythrocytes; Fruits; Hemoglobin; Hypotheses; immunity; inflammation; iron absorption; Leukocytes (neutrophilic); Lymphocytes; Menopause; Metabolism; Monocytes; Mortality; Neutrophils; patients; Polyphenols; Rheumatoid arthritis; Stroke
• ISSN: 2076-3921; 2076-3921
• DOI: 10.3390/antiox8100440

Background and aim: The aim of this work was to evaluate the relationship between platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) with habitual consumption of dark chocolate in a group of celiac subjects in which chocolate consumption and lower neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) association had already been observed. Additionally, due to the known anti-nutrient effect on iron absorption, we evaluated red blood cell count (RBC), mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and hemoglobin (Hb) values. Methods: Chocolate consumers and non-consumers were matched for sex, menopausal status, NLR values over the previously suggested cut off (2.32) for celiac patients, and co-morbidities. Results: Chocolate consumers had high LMR compared to non-consumers, whereas no differences were observed between chocolate consumers and non-consumers in RBC, MCV, Hb and PLR. However, similar number of subjects had PLR higher than the previously suggested cut off (143.7) for celiac disease. Conclusions: This preliminary report suggests a working hypothesis for larger studies aimed at establishing cut off values for LMR in celiac patients and the modulation of this marker by dietary antioxidants.