title: Elevated white blood cell count in subjects with impaired glucose tolerance.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and impaired fasting glucose (IFG) differ in their risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, but previous cross-sectional studies have suggested little difference in their levels of lipids or blood pressure. We compared the white blood cell (WBC) count between subjects with IFG and IGT.
  
  
  METHODS
  The subjects were 4,720 nondiabetic Japanese men aged 24-84 years. Based on the 75-g oral glucose tolerance test, the subjects were classified into the following four groups: normal fasting glucose/normal glucose tolerance (n = 3,753), isolated IFG (n = 290), isolated IGT (n = 476), and IFG/IGT (n = 201). We compared the WBC count among the four groups and investigated variables that showed a significant association with the WBC count.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The isolated IGT group had a significantly higher WBC count than the isolated IFG group (6,530 vs. 6,210/mm(3), P < 0.05). By stepwise analyses, age, triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, fasting insulin, and 2-h postchallenge plasma glucose (PG) showed an independent association with the WBC count (adjusted R(2) = 0.057). In the analysis stratified by smoking status, the WBC count was independently associated with 2-h PG and triglycerides, irrespective of smoking status.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Individuals with isolated IGT had a significantly higher WBC count than those with isolated IFG. The WBC count was associated with 2-h PG and various components of the metabolic syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Internal Medicine, Division of Clinical Medical Science, Programs for Applied Biomedicine, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan. kayoo@hiroshima-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Kayo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ohshita
authors.forename: Kiminori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamane
authors.forename: Miki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hanafusa
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.forename: Kazuyo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mito
authors.forename: Masamichi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Okubo
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hara
authors.forename: Nobuoki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kohno
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001794:Blood Pressure; D015992:Body Mass Index; D018149:Glucose Intolerance / Q000097:blood*; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012907:Smoking
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D008055:Lipids