Serum white blood cell count and pulmonary function test are negatively associated

Area of Science:

• Pulmonary Medicine
• Clinical Immunology

Background:

• Inflammatory disorders commonly affect serum white blood cell (WBC) counts.
• Elevated systemic inflammation may negatively impact lung function, contributing to conditions like obstructive or restrictive lung disease.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the correlation between WBC count and pulmonary function in a large adult population.
• To determine if WBC count serves as an independent indicator of pulmonary function decline.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of data from 16,312 participants in the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III (1988-1994).
• Utilized pulmonary function tests, WBC counts, and health questionnaires from subjects without diagnosed pulmonary diseases.
• Employed multiple hierarchical regression models and trend testing to assess the association between WBC count quartiles and pulmonary function.

Main Results:

• An inverse association was observed between higher WBC counts and lower FEV1% predicted, even after adjusting for covariates.
• Statistically significant negative trends (P<0.001) demonstrated declining pulmonary function with increasing WBC count quartiles.
• The association remained robust, indicating WBC count as an independent predictor of reduced lung function.

Conclusions:

• Elevated WBC count is independently associated with diminished pulmonary function.
• WBC count may serve as a simple, accessible, and cost-effective biomarker for assessing pulmonary function changes.