The association between white blood cell count and 10-year cardiovascular risk in a large Chinese cohort aged 35-64 years / 中华心血管病杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the association between white blood cell count and the risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in subjects aged 35 - 64 years.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>This prospective study was carried out in 11 provinces from 1992 to 2003. The association of baseline white blood cell count and cardiovascular disease occurrence was analyzed in 30 384 subjects aged 35 - 64 years using Cox multivariate proportional hazards regression.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>(1) Compared with the group of 4.0 - 4.9 x 10(9)/L, multivariate-adjusted relative risk of ischemic cardiovascular disease (ICVD, including coronary heart disease and ischemic stroke) increased continuously in proportion to increased white blood cell count. (2) White blood cell count had different impact on different types of CVD. Positive association was observed between white blood cell count and the risk of ischemic stroke, but the relationship between white blood cell count and the risk of hemorrhagic stroke was not significant. Compared with the referent group (4.0 - 4.9 x 10(9)/L), the risk of coronary heart disease of the group of white blood count > 9.0 x 10(9)/L increased by 70% (RR = 1.71, P < 0.05) and that of ischemic stroke increased by 80% (RR = 1.85, P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The risk of ICVD and CVD increases continuously in proportion to increased white blood cell count, the white blood cell count might be used to predict future risk of CVD, especially risk for ICVD.</p>