title: Eosinophil Count Is a Common Factor for Complex Metabolic and Pulmonary Traits and Diseases: The LifeLines Cohort Study.
abstract: There is ongoing debate on the association between eosinophil count and diseases, as previous studies were inconsistent. We studied the relationship of eosinophil count with 22 complex metabolic, cardiac, and pulmonary traits and diseases. From the population-based LifeLines Cohort Study (N = 167,729), 13,301 individuals were included. We focused on relationship of eosinophil count with three classes of metabolic (7 traits, 2 diseases), cardiac (6 traits, 2 diseases), and pulmonary (2 traits, 2 diseases) outcomes. Regression analyses were applied in overall, women and men, while adjusted for age, sex, BMI and smoking. A p-value of <0.00076 was considered statistically significant. 58.2% of population were women (mean±SD 51.3±11.1 years old). In overall, one-SD higher of ln-eosinophil count was associated with a 0.04 (±SE ±0.002;p = 6.0×10-6) SD higher levels in ln-BMI, 0.06 (±0.007;p = 3.1×10-12) SD in ln-TG, 0.04 (±0.003;p = 7.0×10-6) SD in TC, 0.04 (±0.004;p = 6.3×10-7) SD in LDL, 0.04 (±0.006;p = 6.0×10-6) SD in HbA1c; and with a 0.05 (±0.004;p = 1.7×10-8) SD lower levels in HDL, 0.05 (±0.007;p = 3.4×10-23) SD in FEV1, and 0.09 (±0.001;p = 6.6×10-28) SD in FEV1/FVC. A higher ln-eosinophil count was associated with 1.18 (95%CI 1.09-1.28;p = 2.0×10-5) odds ratio of obesity, 1.29 (1.19-1.39;p = 1.1×10-10) of metabolic syndrome, 1.40 (1.25-1.56;p = 2.7×10-9) of COPD and 1.81 (1.61-2.03;p = 1.0×10-23) of asthma. Similar results were found in women. We found no association between ln-eosinophil count either with blood pressure indices in overall, women and men; or with BMI, LDL, HbA1c and obesity in men. In a large population based cohort, we confirmed eosinophil count as a potential factor implicated in metabolic and pulmonary outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Marzyeh
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0123-9510
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Amini
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Dinara
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bashirova
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Bram P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Prins
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Corpeleijn
authors.affiliation: LifeLines Cohort Study, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Marcel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bruinenberg
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Lude
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Franke
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Pim van der
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Harst
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Gerjan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Navis
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Bruce H R
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Wolffenbuttel
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.|LifeLines Cohort Study, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ronald P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Stolk
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Cisca
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wijmenga
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.|Groningen Research Institute for Asthma and COPD, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Dirkje S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Postma
authors.affiliation: Groningen Research Institute for Asthma and COPD, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.|Department of Pediatric Pulmonology and Pediatric Allergology, Beatrix Children's Hospital, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Gerard H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Koppelman
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.|Groningen Research Institute for Asthma and COPD, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: H Marike
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Boezen
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.|Groningen Research Institute for Asthma and COPD, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vonk
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Harold
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Snieder
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Behrooz Z
authors.initials: BZ
authors.lastname: Alizadeh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001249:Asthma / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL / Q000097:blood; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL; C517652:hemoglobin A1c protein, human