The Association between White Blood Cell Counts and Clustered Features of the Metabolic Syndrome

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Increased WBC counts have been associated with different components of metabolic syndrome (MS), accompanied by clustering of a number of risk factors for CHD. Because most individuals have one or more of the risk factors for CHD or a cluster of MS symptoms, it may not be appropriate to look only at isolated components. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to examine the association of WBC counts with clustered features of MS in Korean adults. METHODS: The subject of this study included 593 adults (males 344, females 249) aged 20 years or older. Among the subjects, we excluded those who did not have records of physical parameters and blood test results and those who did not complete the questionnaire. We also excluded acutely ill patients. Logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate the association between WBC counts and features of the MS, with an adjustment for age, smoking and alcohol consumption. RESULTS: The relative risks for obesity, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, low HDL cholesterol levels, hypertriglyceridemia, high fasting plasma glucose levels and hyperuricemia compared with WBC counts or =1, > or = 2, > or = 3, > or = 4 features of the MS also increased as WBC counts increased. CONCLUSION: An increased, albeit normal, WBC counts associates with the cluster of MS of the so-called "insulin resistance syndrome" and suggest that an increased WBC counts may be yet another feature of this syndrome.