The interactive effect of sex and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio on short-term poor outcomes in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation-related acute cardioembolic stroke

Baseline NIHSS score, NLR, and female sex are independent predictors for short-term adverse outcomes in NVAF-related CES. Our findings suggest a potential synergistic interaction between sex and NLR, particularly on the multiplicative scale, indicating that the risk of adverse outcomes may be disproportionately higher in female patients with elevated NLR. Further clinical research should focus on monitoring inflammatory status in female patients and exploring personalized interventions.