TY - JOUR
T1 - Lymphocyte cell counts in middle age are positively associated with subsequent all-cause and cardiovascular mortality
AU - Phillips, Anna
AU - Carroll, Douglas
AU - Gale, CR
AU - Drayson, Mark
AU - Batty, GD
PY - 2010/11/4
Y1 - 2010/11/4
N2 - BACKGROUND: There is an association between higher white blood cell counts and all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality. However, little is known about the prognostic significance of circulating lymphocyte and lymphocyte subset numbers. AIMS: The present study examined the association between T-, CD4-, CD8- and B-cell numbers, and the CD4:CD8 ratio, and all-cause and CVD mortality. METHODS: Lymphocyte and lymphocyte subset numbers were measured by flow cytometry in a cohort of 4256 male middle-aged Vietnam-era US veterans. Mortality was tracked for 15 years and cause of death was determined from death certificates. RESULTS: In fully adjusted survival analyses, high circulating T-cells numbers were associated with increased risk of both all-cause [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.75, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.15-2.66] and cardiovascular (HR = 3.57, 95% CI 1.53-8.33) mortality. The former association appeared to reflect an effect for high CD8-cells numbers, the latter an effect for high CD4-cell numbers. For all-cause mortality, a high CD4:CD8 ratio was protective (HR = 0.58, 95% CI 0.41-0.81). Cardiovascular mortality was also predicted by high B-cells numbers (HR = 1.87, 95% CI 1.10-3.17). CONCLUSION: Circulating lymphocyte and lymphocyte subset numbers may have substantial prognostic significance for both all-cause and CVD mortality.
AB - BACKGROUND: There is an association between higher white blood cell counts and all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality. However, little is known about the prognostic significance of circulating lymphocyte and lymphocyte subset numbers. AIMS: The present study examined the association between T-, CD4-, CD8- and B-cell numbers, and the CD4:CD8 ratio, and all-cause and CVD mortality. METHODS: Lymphocyte and lymphocyte subset numbers were measured by flow cytometry in a cohort of 4256 male middle-aged Vietnam-era US veterans. Mortality was tracked for 15 years and cause of death was determined from death certificates. RESULTS: In fully adjusted survival analyses, high circulating T-cells numbers were associated with increased risk of both all-cause [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.75, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.15-2.66] and cardiovascular (HR = 3.57, 95% CI 1.53-8.33) mortality. The former association appeared to reflect an effect for high CD8-cells numbers, the latter an effect for high CD4-cell numbers. For all-cause mortality, a high CD4:CD8 ratio was protective (HR = 0.58, 95% CI 0.41-0.81). Cardiovascular mortality was also predicted by high B-cells numbers (HR = 1.87, 95% CI 1.10-3.17). CONCLUSION: Circulating lymphocyte and lymphocyte subset numbers may have substantial prognostic significance for both all-cause and CVD mortality.
U2 - 10.1093/qjmed/hcq199
DO - 10.1093/qjmed/hcq199
M3 - Article
C2 - 21051481
SN - 1460-2393
VL - 104
SP - 319
EP - 324
JO - QJM
JF - QJM
IS - 4
ER -