Table 2.
Association between NLR and pCR for different subgroups
| Subgroup analysis of PCR | No of studies | No of patients | OR (95% CI) | P (z-test) | Heterogeneity | P for subgroup difference | |
| I2 | Ph(Q) | ||||||
| Total | 17 | 5504 | 1.620 (1.209 to 2.169) | 0.001 | 66.00% | 0.000 | |
| Year | 0.571 | ||||||
| ≤2018 | 8 | 1193 | 2.144 (0.949 to 4.844) | 0.067 | 78.00% | 0.000 | |
| >2018 | 9 | 4311 | 1.452 (1.133 to 1.860) | 0.003 | 46.30% | 0.061 | |
| Country | 0.78 | ||||||
| Asian | 13 | 3358 | 1.726 (1.167 to 2.553) | 0.006 | 71.00% | 0.000 | |
| Non-Asian | 4 | 2146 | 1.189 (0.974 to 1.451) | 0.089 | 0.00% | 0.435 | |
| Sample size | 0.04 | ||||||
| ≤200 | 9 | 1090 | 2.783 (1.484 to 5.221) | 0.001 | 55.70% | 0.021 | |
| >200 | 8 | 4414 | 1.254 (0.970 to 1.621) | 0.084 | 56.20% | 0.025 | |
| Cut-off value | 0.72 | ||||||
| ≤2.3 | 9 | 2947 | 1.387 (0.930 to 2.069) | 0.108 | 69.30% | 0.001 | |
| >2.3 | 7 | 2077 | 2.334 (1.345 to 4.051) | 0.003 | 59.50% | 0.022 | |
| NR | 1 | 480 | 1.358 (0.787 to 2.343) | 0.271 | – | – | |
| Subtype | 0.256 | ||||||
| ALL | 10 | 3402 | 1.491 (1.040 to 2.137) | 0.030 | 65.20% | 0.003 | |
| HR+/HER2− | 2+(1) | 1275 | 1.320 (0.646 to 2.697) | 0.446 | 49.00% | 0.141 | |
| TNBC | 4+(1) | 827 | 2.905 (1.350 to 6.249) | 0.006 | 69.10% | 0.003 | |
| HER2-positive | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | |
Bold values mean p<0.05.
HER2, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2; HR, hormone receptor; NLR, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio; NR, not reported; pCR, pathological complete response; Ph(Q), p values of Q test for heterogeneity test; TNBC, triple-negative breast cancer.