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White blood cell subsets are associated with carotid intima-media thickness and pulse wave velocity in an older Chinese population: the Guangzhou Biobank Cohort Study

Abstract

Cross-sectional associations between white blood cell (WBC) count, lymphocyte and granulocyte numbers, and carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (PWV) were examined in a novel older Chinese community sample. A total of 817 men and 760 women from a sub-study of the Guangzhou Biobank Cohort Study had a full blood count measured by an automated hematology analyzer, carotid IMT by B-mode ultrasonography and brachial-ankle PWV by a non-invasive automatic waveform analyzer. Following adjustment for confounders, WBC count (β=0.07, P<0.001) and granulocyte (β=0.07, P<0.001) number were significantly positively related to PWV, but not lymphocyte number. Similarly, WBC count (β=0.08, P=0.03), lymphocyte (β=0.08, P=0.002) and granulocyte (β=0.03, P=0.04) number were significantly positively associated with carotid IMT, but only the association with lymphocyte count survived correction for other cardiovascular risk factors. In conclusion, higher WBC, particularly lymphocyte and granulocyte, count could be used, respectively, as markers of cardiovascular disease risk, measured through indicators of atherosclerosis and arterial stiffness. The associations for WBC count previously observed by others were likely driven by higher granulocytes; an index of systemic inflammation.

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Acknowledgements

The study is funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China/Research Grants Council (No. 30518001; HKU720/05) grant. The main cohort study was funded by The University of Hong Kong Foundation for Education and Science, Hong Kong; Guangzhou Public Health Bureau, and Guangzhou Science and Technology Committee, Guangzhou, China; and The University of Birmingham, UK. The Guangzhou Cohort Study-Cardiovascular Disease Subcohort (GBCS-CVD) investigators include Guangzhou No. 12 Hospital: Jie Ming Lin, Bin Liu, Xiao Jun Yue, Chao Qiang Jiang (Co-PI); The University of Hong Kong: Bernard MY Cheung, Tai Hing Lam (Co-PI); The Chinese University of Hong Kong: Brian Tomlinson, Ka Sing Wong; The University of Birmingham: Kar Keung Cheng, Shahrad Taheri, Paramjit Gill, Greg YH Lip, G Neil Thomas (Co-PI).

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Correspondence to A C Phillips.

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Phillips, A., Jiang, C., Thomas, G. et al. White blood cell subsets are associated with carotid intima-media thickness and pulse wave velocity in an older Chinese population: the Guangzhou Biobank Cohort Study. J Hum Hypertens 26, 485–492 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/jhh.2011.58

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