The card shows an example result of 3.2, which is 2.40 SD above the mean.

What it measures

Worked out from a routine full blood count: the neutrophil count divided by the lymphocyte count. Neutrophils rise with acute stress and inflammation, while lymphocytes often fall.

Reference range

The mean is (low + high) / 2 and the SD is (high − low) / 4, so the healthy range covers Z from −2 to +2.

Reading the result

• High — Suggests systemic inflammation or physiological stress. It is linked to worse outcomes in heart disease, infection, and cancer.
• Low — Not a concern in this panel. Very low values can occur with some viral infections or low neutrophil counts.

Notes

• Recent exercise, steroids, and acute illness can change it quickly.
• As a ratio, it has no unit.
• This page is general information, not medical advice. Discuss results with a clinician.