Relation between white blood cell count and several risk factors for coronary heart disease in patients with systemic hypertension.

BACKGROUND

Several epidemiological studies have shown a relation between white blood cell (WBC) count in peripheral blood samples and other cardiovascular risk factors. Such associations have also been described in patients affected by dyslipidemia. On the other hand, no data are available in patients with systemic hypertension.

AIM: In a southern Italian population of hypertensive patients, in order to assess the relation between WBC count and other risk factors for coronary artery disease; in addition, to evaluate if a high WBC count can identify subgroups of hypertensives with a higher risk profile for atherosclerosis.

POPULATION AND

METHODS

We evaluated 147 consecutive patients (44 males, mean age 49 +/- 11 years) with a minimum 2-year history of systemic hypertension in the absence of ischemic heart disease and cerebrovascular disease. Among risk factors, we considered: hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia, hyperglycemia and obesity.

RESULTS

WBC count was significantly higher in patients with 2 or more risk factors (7.092 +/- 1034 cells/dl than in hypertensives without risk factors (5.902 +/- 1167, p < 0.0001). WBC count was significantly associated with hyperglycemia (p < 0.001), number of cigarettes smoked daily (p < 0.004), fibrinogen plasma levels (p < 0.008) and azotemia (p < 0.009). Multivariate analysis has shown a positive significant and independent relation between WBC count and both hyperglycemia and number of cigarettes.

CONCLUSIONS

These results emphasize that, among hypertensives, subgroups with a higher WBC count also have a higher risk profile for atherogenesis. The relation between WBC and some risk factors is confirmed by our data in a population of patients affected with systemic hypertension.