This Article  • References  • Full text PDF  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Citation map  • Citing articles on HighWire  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Similar articles in JAMA  Social Bookmarking   What's this?

Richard H. Grimm, Jr, MD, PhD; James D. Neaton, PhD; William Ludwig, MD; Multiple Risk Factor Intervention Trial Research Group

JAMA. 1985;254(14):1932-1937.

Abstract
The relationship of white blood cell count (WBC) to fatal and nonfatal coronary heart disease (CHD) incidence and all-cause and cancer mortality was assessed in a subset of participants in the Multiple Risk Factor Intervention Trial (MRFIT). For this group of 6,222 middle aged men, total WBC count was found to be strongly and significantly related to risk of CHD, independent of smoking status. Change in WBC count from baseline to the annual examination just prior to the CHD event was found to be a significant and independent predictor of CHD risk. For each decrease in WBC count of 1,000/cu mm the risk for CHD death decreased 14%, controlling for baseline WBC count and other CHD risk factors (smoking, cholesterol level, diastolic blood pressure). The WBC count was strongly related cross-sectionally to cigarette smoking and smoking status as indicated by serum thiocyanate concentration. Smokers on average had a WBC count of 7,750/cu mm compared with 6,080/cu mm for nonsmokers. The WBC count was also significantly associated with cancer death, independent of reported smoking and serum thiocyanate levels.

(JAMA 1985;254:1932-1937)

Author Affiliations
From the Multiple Risk Factor Intervention Trial Research Group, sponsored by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Md. Dr Ludwig was a Parker-Franas Research Foundation fellow during the analysis phase. Dr Grimm is an Established Investigator of the American Heart Association.

Footnotes
Reprint requests to Division of Epidemiology, University of Minnesota, Stadium Gate 27, 611 Beacon St SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455 (Dr Grimm).

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati     What's this?

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

Association of CKD and Cancer Risk in Older People
Wong et al.
J. Am. Soc. Nephrol. 2009;20:1341-1350.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Systemic manifestations and comorbidities of COPD
Barnes and Celli
Eur Respir J 2009;33:1165-1185.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Association of Albuminuria and Cancer Incidence
Jorgensen et al.
J. Am. Soc. Nephrol. 2008;19:992-998.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Prospective Study of High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein as a Determinant of Mortality: Results from the MONICA/KORA Augsburg Cohort Study, 1984-1998
Koenig et al.
Clin. Chem. 2008;54:335-342.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Prospective Study of Leukocyte Count as a Predictor of Incident Breast, Colorectal, Endometrial, and Lung Cancer and Mortality in Postmenopausal Women
Margolis et al.
Arch Intern Med 2007;167:1837-1844.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Low-Dose Rosiglitazone Exerts an Antiinflammatory Effect with an Increase in Adiponectin Independently of Free Fatty Acid Fall and Insulin Sensitization in Obese Type 2 Diabetics
Ghanim et al.
J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 2006;91:3553-3558.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

C-reactive protein and colorectal cancer.
Mazhar and Ngan
QJM 2006;99:555-559.
FULL TEXT  

Association Between Circulating White Blood Cell Count and Cancer Mortality: A Population-Based Cohort Study
Shankar et al.
Arch Intern Med 2006;166:188-194.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

White Blood Cell Count and Risk for All-Cause, Cardiovascular, and Cancer Mortality in a Cohort of Koreans
Jee et al.
Am J Epidemiol 2005;162:1062-1069.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Genetic influences on peripheral blood cell counts: a study in baboons
Mahaney et al.
Blood 2005;106:1210-1214.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Systemic Response to Ambient Particulate Matter: Relevance to Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
van Eeden et al.
Proc Am Thorac Soc 2005;2:61-67.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Leukocyte Count as a Predictor of Cardiovascular Events and Mortality in Postmenopausal Women: The Women's Health Initiative Observational Study
Margolis et al.
Arch Intern Med 2005;165:500-508.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Total and Differential White Blood Cell Counts and Their Associations With Circulating Interleukin-6 Levels in Community-Dwelling Older Women
Leng et al.
Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences 2005;60:195-199.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Leukocyte count and coronary heart disease: Implications for risk assessment
Madjid et al.
J Am Coll Cardiol 2004;44:1945-1956.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

WBC Count and the Risk of Cancer Mortality in a National Sample of U.S. Adults: Results from the Second National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey Mortality Study
Erlinger et al.
Cancer Epidemiol. Biomarkers Prev. 2004;13:1052-1056.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Leukocyte Count as an Independent Predictor of Recurrent Ischemic Events
Grau et al.
Stroke 2004;35:1147-1152.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

C-Reactive Protein and the Risk of Incident Colorectal Cancer
Erlinger et al.
JAMA 2004;291:585-590.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Preoperative white blood cell count and mortality and morbidity after coronary artery bypass grafting
Dacey et al.
Ann. Thorac. Surg. 2003;76:760-764.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Long-term mortality assessment using biological measures among elderly people. Ten-year follow-up of 597 healthy elderly subjects in Taiwan
Wu et al.
Fam Pract 2002;19:272-277.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

C-Reactive Protein Risk Prediction: Low Specificity, High Sensitivity
Koenig and Pepys
ANN INTERN MED 2002;136:550-552.
FULL TEXT  

Leukocyte Count, Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate, and Diabetes Incidence in a National Sample of US Adults
Ford
Am J Epidemiol 2002;155:57-64.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor Levels Are Associated With Carotid Atherosclerosis * Editorial Comment
Elkind et al.
Stroke 2002;33:31-38.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

The association between white blood cell count and acute myocardial infarction mortality in patients >=65 years of age: findings from the cooperative cardiovascular project
Barron et al.
J Am Coll Cardiol 2001;38:1654-1661.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

White Blood Cell Count and Incidence of Coronary Heart Disease and Ischemic Stroke and Mortality from Cardiovascular Disease in African-American and White Men and Women: Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study
Lee et al.
Am J Epidemiol 2001;154:758-764.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Cytokines Involved in the Systemic Inflammatory Response Induced by Exposure to Particulate Matter Air Pollutants (PM10)
van EEDEN et al.
Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. 2001;164:826-830.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Plasma Fibrinogen as a Predictor of Total and Cause-Specific Mortality in Elderly Japanese-American Men
Yano et al.
Arterioscler. Thromb. Vasc. Bio. 2001;21:1065-1070.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Elevated White Blood Cell Count and Carotid Plaque Thickness : The Northern Manhattan Stroke Study
Elkind et al.
Stroke 2001;32:842-849.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Familial Excess Longevity in Utah Genealogies
Kerber et al.
Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences 2001;56:130B-139.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

The Effect of Repeated Exposure to Particulate Air Pollution (PM10) on the Bone Marrow
MUKAE et al.
Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. 2001;163:201-209.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Phagocytosis of particulate air pollutants by human alveolar macrophages stimulates the bone marrow
Mukae et al.
Am. J. Physiol. Lung Cell. Mol. Physiol. 2000;279:L924-L931.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Relation of Helicobacter pylori Infection to 13-Year Mortality and Incident Ischemic Heart Disease in the Caerphilly Prospective Heart Disease Study
Strachan et al.
Circulation 1998;98:1286-1290.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Biochemical and inflammatory changes in the exercising claudicant
Tisi and Shearman
Vasc Med 1998;3:189-198.
ABSTRACT  

Seasonal Variations of Rheological and Hemostatic Parameters and Acute-Phase Reactants in Young, Healthy Subjects
Frohlich et al.
Arterioscler. Thromb. Vasc. Bio. 1997;17:2692-2697.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Prospective Study of Hemostatic Factors and Incidence of Coronary Heart Disease : The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study
Folsom et al.
Circulation 1997;96:1102-1108.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Defensin Stimulates the Binding of Lipoprotein (a) to Human Vascular Endothelial and Smooth Muscle Cells
Higazi et al.
Blood 1997;89:4290-4298.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

White Blood Cell Count and the Risk of Coronary Heart Disease and All-Cause Mortality in Elderly Men
Weijenberg et al.
Arterioscler. Thromb. Vasc. Bio. 1996;16:499-503.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Clinical Misconceptions Dispelled by Epidemiological Research
Kannel
Circulation 1995;92:3350-3360.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Gemfibrozil Enhances Platelet Activity in Patients With Combined Hyperlipoproteinemia
Broijersen et al.
Arterioscler. Thromb. Vasc. Bio. 1995;15:121-127.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Cigarette Smoking and Adult Leukemia: A Meta-analysis
Brownson et al.
Arch Intern Med 1993;153:469-475.
ABSTRACT  

Leukocytes, Lipids, and Chronic Venous Insufficiency: A New Perspective on an Old Disease
LaMORTE et al.
PERSPECT VASC SURG ENDOVASC THER 1993;6:95-107.
 

White Blood Cell Count and Cardiovascular Disease: Insights From the Framingham Study
Kannel et al.
JAMA 1992;267:1253-1256.
ABSTRACT  

Smokeless Tobacco Use and Health Effects Among Baseball Players
Ernster et al.
JAMA 1990;264:218-224.
ABSTRACT  

Leukocytes and the Risk of Ischemic Diseases
Ernst et al.
JAMA 1987;257:2318-2324.
ABSTRACT  

The White Blood Cell Count as a Risk Factor
Light
JAMA 1986;255:1877-1877.
ABSTRACT