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White blood cell count is associated with plasma total homocysteine in Japanese men

H Sakuta1, T Suzuki, H Yasuda

  • 1Department of Internal Medicine, Self-Defense Forces Central Hospital, Tokyo, Japan. hsakuta@msa.biglobe.ne.jp

Scandinavian Journal of Clinical and Laboratory Investigation
|September 24, 2005
PubMed

Insights

Elevated white blood cell (WBC) counts are linked to coronary heart disease risk. This study found a significant association between higher WBC counts and total homocysteine levels in Japanese men.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology
  • Hematology
  • Biomarkers of Cardiovascular Risk

Background:

  • White blood cell (WBC) count is a known risk factor for coronary heart disease.
  • Previous research links WBC count to cardiovascular risk factors like BMI, cholesterol, and blood pressure.
  • The association of WBC count with total homocysteine and gamma-glutamyl transferase remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the cross-sectional association between white blood cell count, total homocysteine, and gamma-glutamyl transferase.
  • To explore potential novel risk factors contributing to the WBC count-cardiovascular disease link.

Main Methods:

  • Cross-sectional analysis of middle-aged Japanese men.
  • Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were performed.
  • Adjusted for lifestyle factors including smoking, physical activity, alcohol, diet, and BMI.

Main Results:

  • WBC count showed a significant positive association with total homocysteine in univariate analysis (beta = 0.112, p<0.001).
  • No significant association was found between WBC count and gamma-glutamyl transferase (beta = 0.033, p = 0.309).
  • The association between WBC count and total homocysteine remained significant after multivariate adjustment (beta = 0.062, p = 0.026).

Conclusions:

  • Elevated white blood cell count is independently associated with higher total homocysteine levels in middle-aged Japanese men.
  • This association may contribute to the link between high WBC counts and increased cardiovascular disease risk.
  • Total homocysteine warrants further investigation as a potential mediator in the WBC count-cardiovascular disease pathway.

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