Elevated white blood cell count in subjects with impaired glucose tolerance.
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.
Ohshita
Kayo
K
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
Yamane
Kiminori
K
Hanafusa
Miki
M
Mori
Hiroshi
H
Mito
Kazuyo
K
Okubo
Masamichi
M
Hara
Hitoshi
H
Kohno
Nobuoki
N
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
D015415:Biomarkers; D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D008055:Lipids