Higher Total White Blood Cell and Neutrophil Counts Are Associated With Increased Stroke Mortality Risk: The Guangzhou Biobank Cohort Study

Author(s):  
Zhi-bing. Hu ◽  
Ze-xiong Lu ◽  
Feng Zhu ◽  
Cao-qiang Jiang ◽  
Wei-sen Zhang ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: To investigate the relations of white blood cell (WBC) count and its dynamic change with future stroke mortality risk in a relatively healthy elderly population.Methods: A total of 27811 participants without stroke history at baseline were included and followed up for an average of 11.5 (SD=2.3) years. After review of available records, 399 stroke (277 ischaemic and 172 haemorrhagic) deaths were recorded among all-cause mortality. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).Results: Compared with the lowest quartile, the highest quartile of WBC count showed 53% and 67% increased mortality risk for total (adjusted HR [aHR]=1.53, 95% CI 1.16-2.02, P=0.003) and haemorrhagic (aHR=1.67, 95% CI 1.10-2.67, P=0.03) stroke, respectively; the highest neutrophil count showed 45% and 65% increased mortality risk for total (aHR=1.45, 95% CI 1.10-1.89, P=0.008) and ischaemic (aHR=1.65, 95% CI 1.10-2.47 P=0.02) stroke. The same results found for total and ischaemic stroke but not for haemorrhagic stroke were observed for both WBCs and neutrophils within the normal range level after further C-reactive protein (CRP) adjustment. Compared with the stable group, the 25% increased groups of both WBCs (aHR=1.60, 95% CI 1.07-2.40, P=0.02) and neutrophils (aHR=1.45, 95% CI 1.02-2.05, P =0.04) showed 60% and 45% increased stroke mortality risk, respectively.Conclusions: These findings support the role of WBCs, especially neutrophils, as simple, inexpensive and readily available predictors of future stroke mortality in an elderly population. Trial registration: The Guangzhou Medical Ethics Committee of the Chinese Medical Association approved the study.

2016 ◽  
Vol 38 (3) ◽  
pp. 327-333 ◽  
Author(s):  
Noelle M. Cocoros ◽  
Gregory P. Priebe ◽  
Latania K. Logan ◽  
Susan Coffin ◽  
Gitte Larsen ◽  
...  

OBJECTIVEAdult ventilator-associated event (VAE) definitions include ventilator-associated conditions (VAC) and subcategories for infection-related ventilator-associated complications (IVAC) and possible ventilator-associated pneumonia (PVAP). We explored these definitions for children.DESIGNRetrospective cohortSETTINGPediatric, cardiac, or neonatal intensive care units (ICUs) in 6 US hospitalsPATIENTSPatients ≤18 years old ventilated for ≥1 dayMETHODSWe identified patients with pediatric VAC based on previously proposed criteria. We applied adult temperature, white blood cell count, antibiotic, and culture criteria for IVAC and PVAP to these patients. We matched pediatric VAC patients with controls and evaluated associations with adverse outcomes using Cox proportional hazards models.RESULTSIn total, 233 pediatric VACs (12,167 ventilation episodes) were identified. In the cardiac ICU (CICU), 62.5% of VACs met adult IVAC criteria; in the pediatric ICU (PICU), 54.2% of VACs met adult IVAC criteria; and in the neonatal ICU (NICU), 20.2% of VACs met adult IVAC criteria. Most patients had abnormal white blood cell counts and temperatures; we therefore recommend simplifying surveillance by focusing on “pediatric VAC with antimicrobial use” (pediatric AVAC). Pediatric AVAC with a positive respiratory diagnostic test (“pediatric PVAP”) occurred in 8.9% of VACs in the CICU, 13.3% of VACs in the PICU, and 4.3% of VACs in the NICU. Hospital mortality was increased, and hospital and ICU length of stay and duration of ventilation were prolonged among all pediatric VAE subsets compared with controls.CONCLUSIONSWe propose pediatric AVAC for surveillance related to antimicrobial use, with pediatric PVAP as a subset of AVAC. Studies on generalizability and responsiveness of these metrics to quality improvement initiatives are needed, as are studies to determine whether lower pediatric VAE rates are associated with improvements in other outcomes.Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2017;38:327–333


BMC Neurology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhi-bing Hu ◽  
Ze-xiong Lu ◽  
Feng Zhu ◽  
Cao-qiang Jiang ◽  
Wei-sen Zhang ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Chronic inflammatory diseases are linked to an increased risk of stroke events. The white blood cell (WBC) count is a common marker of the inflammatory response. However, it is unclear whether the WBC count, its subpopulations and their dynamic changes are related to the risk of fatal stroke in relatively healthy elderly population. Methods In total, 27,811 participants without a stroke history at baseline were included and followed up for a mean of 11.5 (standard deviation = 2.3) years. After review of available records, 503 stroke deaths (ischaemic 227, haemorrhagic 172 and unclassified 104) were recorded. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to assess the associations between the WBC count, its subpopulations and their dynamic changes (two-phase examination from baseline to the 1st follow-up) and the risk of fatal all stroke, fatal ischaemic stroke and fatal haemorrhagic stroke. Results (i) Regarding the WBC count in relation to the risk of fatal stroke, restricted cubic splines showed an atypically U-curved association between the WBC count and the risk of fatal all stroke occurrence. Compared with those in the lowest WBC count quartile (< 5.3*10^9/L), the participants with the highest WBC count (> 7.2*10^9/L) had a 53 and 67% increased risk for fatal all stroke (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] = 1.53, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.16–2.02, P = 0.003) and fatal haemorrhagic stroke (aHR = 1.67, 95% CI 1.10–2.67, P = 0.03), respectively; compared with those in the lowest quartile (< 3.0*10^9/L), the participants with the highest NEUT count (> 4.5*10^9/L) had a 45 and 65% increased risk for fatal all stroke (aHR = 1.45, 95% CI 1.10–1.89, P = 0.008) and fatal ischaemic stroke (aHR = 1.65, 95%CI 1.10–2.47 P = 0.02), respectively. With the additional adjustment for C-reactive protein, the same results as those for all stroke and ischaemic stroke, but not haemorrhagic stroke, were obtained for the WBC count (4 ~ 10*10^9/L) and the NEUT count (the NEUT counts in the top 1% and bottom 1% at baseline were excluded). (ii) Regarding dynamic changes in the WBC count in relation to the risk of fatal stroke, compared with the stable group (− 25% ~ 25%, dynamic changes from two phases of examination (baseline, from September 1st, 2003 to February 28th, 2008; 1st follow-up, from March 31st 2008 to December 31st 2012)), the groups with a 25% increase in the WBC count and NEUT count respectively had a 60% (aHR = 1.60, 95% CI 1.07–2.40, P = 0.02) and 45% (aHR = 1.45, 95% CI1.02–2.05, P = 0.04) increased risk of fatal all stroke occurrence. Conclusions The WBC count, especially the NEUT count, was associated with an increased risk of fatal all stroke occurrence. Longitudinal changes in the WBC count and NEUT count increase in excess of 25% were also associated with an increased risk of fatal all stroke occurrence in the elderly population.


2018 ◽  
Vol 55 (6) ◽  
pp. 395-402 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Aronoff ◽  
David Malkin ◽  
Kalene van Engelen ◽  
Bailey Gallinger ◽  
Jonathan Wasserman ◽  
...  

Backgroundvon Hippel-Lindau (vHL) syndrome is a rare autosomal-dominant disorder that confers a lifelong risk for developing both benign and malignant tumours in multiple organs. Recent evidence suggests that vHL may exhibit genetic anticipation (GA). The aim of this study was to determine if GA occurs in vHL, and if telomere shortening may be a factor in GA.MethodsA retrospective chart review of vHL families seen at The Hospital for Sick Children between 1984 and 2016 was performed. Age of onset (AOO, defined as the age of first physician-diagnosed vHL-related manifestation) was confirmed for 96 patients from 20 unrelated families (80 clinically affected and 16 unaffected carriers). Flow-FISH(flow cytometry sorting of cells whose telomeres are labeled by Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization) was used to measure mean telomere length of six white blood cell subtypes from 14 known VHL pathogenic variant carriers.ResultsThe median AOO for generations I, II and III were 32.5, 22.5 and 12.0 years, respectively. The differences in the AOO between generations were highly significant using a Cox proportional hazards model (P=6.00×10-12). Telomere lengths were significantly different for granulocytes and natural killer lymphocytes of patients with vHL compared with age-matched controls. For six vHL parent–child pairs, median white blood cell telomere lengths between parent and child were not significantly different.ConclusionsOur results suggest that vHL telomere abnormalities may be primarily somatic in origin rather than a cause of GA. As tumour development exhibits GA in our cohort, vHL surveillance guidelines may need to account for a patient’s generational position within a vHL pedigree.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyung Don Yoo ◽  
Hyung Jung Oh ◽  
Sehoon Park ◽  
Min Woo Kang ◽  
Yong Chul Kim ◽  
...  

AbstractThe association between increased red blood cell distribution width (RDW) and mortality among patients treated on an outpatient basis in the nephrology outpatient clinic is unclear. Therefore, our study aimed to investigate the association between baseline and time-averaged RDW and mortality risk in patients treated in our nephrology outpatient clinic. Our multi-center retrospective analysis was based on data of 16,417 outpatient nephrology patients with available baseline renal function and RWD values. The median baseline RDW was 13.0% (range, 10.0–32.1%). The high-RDW group was defined as the top quartile (≥ 13.8%, n = 4302). The crude mortality rate was 15.0% (n = 1806) at a median follow-up of 127.5 months. From the results of the multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression model adjusted for covariates, including eGFR, hemoglobin, and factors of anemia treatment, patients with a high time-averaged RDW had increased mortality risk (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.505; 95% confidence interval, 1.326–1.708; P < 0.001), irrespective of sex, presence of anemia, and chronic kidney disease, except in individuals aged < 45 years. Thus, increased baseline and time-averaged RDW were significantly associated with increased mortality in patients aged > 45 years treated on an outpatient basis in the nephrology clinic.


2008 ◽  
Vol 101 (1) ◽  
pp. 86-92 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tasnime N. Akbaraly ◽  
Alain Favier ◽  
Claudine Berr

Carotenoids are pigments found in fruits and vegetables. While high intakes of fruits and vegetables have been found to be associated with lower mortality, our objective is to investigate if total plasma carotenoids, via their antioxidant properties, are associated with mortality risk in a free-living elderly population. The ‘Epidemiology of Vascular Ageing’ (EVA) study (n1389; 59–71 years) is a 9-year longitudinal study with six waves of follow-up. The association between baseline total plasma carotenoids and mortality was determined by Cox proportional hazards regression analyses. Low total plasma carotenoid level was significantly associated with all-cause mortality in men but not in women. After controlling for potential confounding factors, mortality risk increased significantly in men (P = 0·03) with plasma carotenoids in the lowest quintile compared with men with plasma carotenoids in the highest (relative risk 2·94 (95 % CI 1·21, 7·17)). A significant association between mortality by cancer and low plasma carotenoid level variable was also found in men (unit = 1 μmol/l; relative risk 1·72 (95 % CI 1·02, 2·86);P = 0·01). Associations between total plasma carotenoids and mortality risk remained statistically significant after taking into account: (1) plasma Se level, which previously was found associated with mortality in this population and (2) thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances level considered as an indicator of oxidative stress. By showing, prospectively, in a general healthy elderly population, that total plasma carotenoid levels were independently associated with mortality risk in men, the present study suggests that total plasma carotenoid levels could be a health indicator in elderly populations.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Liulin Wang ◽  
Xiaobin Cheng ◽  
Qiufen Dong ◽  
Chenliang Zhou ◽  
Yeming Wang ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a public health emergency. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the risk factors for mortality in severe and critical COVID-19 patients. Methods We performed a retrospective study of patients diagnosed with severe and critical COVID-19 from four hospitals in Wuhan, China, by evaluating the clinical characteristics and laboratory results, and using Cox proportional hazards model to assess the risk factors involved in disease progression. Results In total, 446 patients with COVID-19 were enrolled. The study indicated a high mortality rate (20.2%) in severe and critical COVID-19 patients. At the time of admission, all patients required oxygen therapy, and 52 (12%) required invasive mechanical ventilation, of which 50 (96%) died. The univariate Cox proportional hazards model showed a white blood cell count of more than 10 × 109/L (HR 3.993,95%CI 2.469 to 6.459) that correlated with an increased mortality rate. The multivariable Cox proportional hazards model demonstrated that older age (HR 1.066, 95% CI 1.043 to 1.089) and higher white blood cell count (HR 1.135, 95% CI 1.080 to 1.192) were independent risk factors for determining COVID-19 associated mortality. Conclusions COVID-19 is associated with a significant risk of morbidity and mortality in the population. Older age and higher white blood cell count were found to be independent risk factors for mortality.


Angiology ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 000331972110211
Author(s):  
Buyun Jia ◽  
Chongfei Jiang ◽  
Yun Song ◽  
Chenfangyuan Duan ◽  
Lishun Liu ◽  
...  

Increased arterial stiffness is highly prevalent in patients with hypertension and is associated with cardiovascular (CV) risk. Increased white blood cell (WBC) counts may also be an independent risk factor for arterial stiffness and CV events. The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between differential WBC counts and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) in hypertensive adults. A total of 14 390 participants were included in the final analysis. A multivariate linear regression model was applied for the correlation analysis of WBC count and baPWV. Higher WBC counts were associated with a greater baPWV: adjusted β = 10 (95% CI, 8-13, P < .001). The same significant association was also found when WBC count was assessed as categories or quartiles. In addition, the effect of differential WBC subtypes, including neutrophil count and lymphocyte count on baPWV, showed the similar results. These findings showed that baPWV has positive associations with differential WBC counts in hypertensive adults.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 505-506
Author(s):  
Dominika Seblova ◽  
Kelly Peters ◽  
Susan Lapham ◽  
Laura Zahodne ◽  
Tara Gruenewald ◽  
...  

Abstract Having more years of education is independently associated with lower mortality, but it is unclear whether other attributes of schooling matter. We examined the association of high school quality and all-cause mortality across race/ethnicity. In 1960, about 5% of US high schools participated in Project Talent (PT), which collected information about students and their schools. Over 21,000 PT respondents were followed for mortality into their eighth decade of life using the National Death Index. A school quality factor, capturing term length, class size, and teacher qualifications, was used as the main predictor. First, we estimated overall and sex-stratified Cox proportional hazards models with standard errors clustered at the school level, adjusting for age, sex, composite measure of parental socioeconomic status, and 1960 cognitive ability. Second, we added an interaction between school quality and race/ethnicity. Among this diverse cohort (60% non-Hispanic Whites, 23% non-Hispanic Blacks, 7% Hispanics, 10% classified as another race/s) there were 3,476 deaths (16.5%). School quality was highest for Hispanic respondents and lowest for non-Hispanic Blacks. Non-Hispanic Blacks also had the highest mortality risk. In the whole sample, school quality was not associated with mortality risk. However, higher school quality was associated with lower mortality among those classified as another race/s (HR 0.75, 95% CI: 0.56-0.99). For non-Hispanic Blacks and Whites, the HR point estimates were unreliable, but suggest that higher school quality is associated with increased mortality. Future work will disentangle these differences in association of school quality across race/ethnicity and examine cause-specific mortality.


2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ademola Olusegun Talabi ◽  
Tewogbade Adeoye Adedeji ◽  
Oludayo Adedapo Sowande ◽  
Olusanya Adejuyigbe

Abstract Background The diagnosis of acute appendicitis in children is quite challenging as the rate of negative appendectomy varies between 15 and 57%. Increased utilization of imaging diagnostic facilities in advanced countries seems to have reduced the incidence of operating on normal appendix to a single digit. In low- and middle-income countries, the incidence remains unacceptably high (double digits). Inflammatory markers and scoring systems may be a suitable adjunct to increase diagnostic yield in most third world countries. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of Alvarado score, white blood cell count, and serum C-reactive protein in children with acute appendicitis. Results The ages of patients ranged between 4 and 15 years with a mean of 11.2 ± 2.8 years. The male to female ratio was 1.4 to 1.0. Nineteen percent of patients had negative appendiceal findings on histological examination. The sensitivity and specificity of Alvarado score, C-reactive protein estimation, total white blood cell count in diagnosing acute appendicitis were 86.4% and 63.2%, 98.8% and 36.8%, and 51.9% and 89.5% respectively. Alvarado score has the highest area under ROC curve analysis 0.824, 95% CI of 0.724 to 0.924 compared with CRP, 0.769. 95% CI of = 0.647 to 0.891 and WBC count, 0.765, 95% CI of 0.643 to 0.887. Both CRP and WBC count showed higher discriminatory values between complicated and uncomplicated appendicitis, p < 0.001. Conclusion Alvarado score outperformed other tests in setting the diagnosis of acute appendicitis. However, none of the tests can be relied on wholly for operative decision. Clinical judgement remains the bedrock for diagnosis and operative management.


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