NHR and postoperative acute kidney injury after coronary artery bypass grafting: a retrospective cohort study

Why your kidneys matter during heart bypass

Coronary artery bypass grafting, often called heart bypass surgery, can be life-saving for people with severe heart vessel blockages. But after this major operation, some patients develop sudden kidney problems that lengthen hospital stays and raise the risk of serious complications. This study asks a practical question with big everyday impact: can a simple blood test done before surgery flag which patients are most likely to run into kidney trouble afterward?

A simple number from a routine blood draw

The researchers focused on a measure called the neutrophil-to–high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio, or NHR. Neutrophils are frontline white blood cells that surge during inflammation, while high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (often dubbed \

Citation: Zheng, J., Wang, Z., Xu, L. et al. NHR and postoperative acute kidney injury after coronary artery bypass grafting: a retrospective cohort study. Sci Rep 16, 10159 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-41189-9

Keywords: acute kidney injury, coronary artery bypass, inflammation marker, neutrophil to HDL ratio, cardiac surgery risk