Related Experiment Videos
Leukocytes as a coronary risk factor in a dyslipidemic male population
M Mänttäri1, V Manninen, P Koskinen
1First Department of Medicine, Helsinki University, Finland.
Insights
Elevated white blood cell (WBC) counts indicate a higher risk of cardiac events in middle-aged men with dyslipidemia. This association was particularly strong in smokers and during the initial phase of the study.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Hematology
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Dyslipidemia is a known risk factor for coronary heart disease.
- The role of elevated white blood cell (WBC) count as an independent risk factor is under investigation.
- Previous studies suggest a potential link between inflammation markers and cardiovascular events.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between elevated serum leukocyte count (WBC) and coronary risk.
- To determine if WBC is an independent risk factor in dyslipidemic men.
- To explore the time-dependent nature of this association.
Main Methods:
- Nested case-control study design.
- Analysis of data from 420 middle-aged men in the Helsinki Heart Study.
- Logistic regression analysis incorporating smoking status.
Main Results:
- Baseline WBC count was significantly higher in subjects who experienced cardiac events (6.93 x 10(9)/L) compared to controls (6.26 x 10(9)/L).
- The association between elevated WBC and cardiac events was significant during the first half of the 5-year study but not the second.
- Relative risks for cardiac events were elevated in the highest WBC tertile, especially for smokers (3.07).
- Logistic regression confirmed an independent contribution of elevated WBC to coronary heart disease, even after accounting for smoking.
Conclusions:
- Elevated leukocyte count is a significant coronary risk factor in dyslipidemic middle-aged men.
- The predictive value of WBC count appears to be time-dependent.
- WBC count provides independent prognostic information for coronary events in this population.
Abstract:
The role of an elevated serum leukocyte count (WBC) as a coronary risk factor was investigated using a nested case-control design in dyslipidemic middle-aged men (n = 420) participating in the Helsinki Heart Study, a coronary primary prevention trial. Baseline WBC was significantly higher, 6.93 (2.11) x 10(9)/L in subjects with cardiac events, than in controls, 6.26 (1.88) x 10(9)/L; p less than 0.002. This association was time-dependent, however, since the difference was not significant for events occurring during the second half of the 5-year study. Using nonsmokers in the lowest WBC tertile as the reference sample, the relative risks in the highest WBC tertile were 1.86 (95% confidence intervals [CI] 0.81 to 4.28) for nonsmokers and 3.07 (95% CI 2.23 to 8.19) for smokers. Logistic regression analysis including smoking in the model disclosed an independent contribution of elevated WBC to coronary heart disease. We conclude that elevated leukocyte count was a coronary risk factor even in this dyslipidemic population.