Leukocyte Count and Risks of Stroke and Coronary Heart Disease: The Circulatory Risk in Communities Study (CIRCS)
Jiaqi Li, Hironori Imano, Kazumasa Yamagishi, Mari Tanaka, Renzhe Cui, Isao Muraki, Mitsumasa Umesawa, Mina Hayama‐Terada, Tetsuya Ohira, Masahiko Kiyama, Takeo Okada, Tomoko Sankai, Takeshi Tanigawa, Akihiko Kitamura, Hiroyasu Iso
Abstract
AIM: This study aimed to investigate the associations of leukocyte count with the risks of stroke and coronary heart disease among the general Japanese population. METHODS: ) were excluded. Hazard ratios with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated according to quartiles of cumulative average leukocyte count. RESULTS: During follow-up of 21 years, 327 stroke and 130 coronary heart disease cases were determined. After adjustments for age, sex, community, and updated cardiovascular risk factors, the multivariable hazard ratio (95% CI) for the highest versus lowest quartile of leukocyte count was 1.50 (1.08-2.08) for ischemic stroke, 1.59 (1.00-2.51) for lacunar infarction, 1.42 (0.90-2.26) for non-lacunar infarction, 2.17 (1.33-3.55) for coronary heart disease, and 1.40 (1.11-1.76) for total cardiovascular disease. In smoking status-stratified analyses, the corresponding multivariable hazard ratio (95% CI) was 2.45 (1.11-5.38) for ischemic stroke, 2.73 (1.37-5.44) for coronary heart disease in current smokers, 2.42 (1.07-5.46), 1.55 (0.58-4.15) in former smokers, and 1.17 (0.75-1.82), 1.78 (0.83-3.82) in never smokers. CONCLUSION: Leukocyte count was positively associated with the risks of ischemic stroke and coronary heart disease among the general Japanese population, especially in current smokers.