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Longitudinal relation between smoking and white blood cells
1Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
American Journal of Epidemiology
|October 15, 1996
Summary
Changes in smoking habits rapidly alter white blood cell counts, with effects seen within six months. Quitting smoking lowers white blood cell counts, while resuming smoking increases them, though long-term ex-smokers maintain higher counts than never smokers.
Area of Science:
- Hematology
- Epidemiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Elevated white blood cell (WBC) counts are documented in smokers versus nonsmokers.
- The longitudinal relationship between smoking behavior changes and WBC count fluctuations is less understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the longitudinal association between changes in smoking status and alterations in white blood cell counts.
- To quantify the impact of smoking cessation and resumption on WBC levels over time.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of data from the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS), a prospective cohort study.
- Inclusion of 2,435 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-seronegative participants followed semiannually from 1984 to 1994.
- Examination of 20,918 person-visits to assess changes in smoking behavior and corresponding WBC counts.
Main Results:
- Changes in WBC counts occurred within six months of modifying smoking habits.
- Resuming smoking led to dose-dependent increases in WBC counts (e.g., 740 cells/microliter for >2 packs/day).
- Smoking cessation resulted in decreased WBC counts (e.g., -1,122 cells/microliter for >2 packs/day), with residual elevation in long-term ex-smokers compared to never smokers.
Conclusions:
- Smoking cessation and resumption acutely impact white blood cell counts.
- A residual effect of prior smoking on WBC counts persists long-term.
- White blood cell counts exhibit high within-individual tracking over time, influenced by smoking history.