Relationship between white blood cells and hypertension in Chinese adults: The Cardiometabolic Risk in Chinese (CRC) study

Abstract

Increased blood pressure was associated with increased white blood cell count (adjusted p < 0.001) in a community-based health examination survey of adults in China (n = 39 282; aged 18–93 years). Adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) for hypertension across white blood cell count quintiles were 1.00, 0.99 (0.89–1.09), 1.11 (1.01–1.22), 1.09 (0.99–1.20), and 1.19 (1.08–1.31) (p for trend < 0.001). Body mass index and white blood cell count had an additive effect on systolic blood pressure (p for interaction = 0.047). Therefore, white blood cell count could independently predict hypertension in Chinese adults.

• Hypertension
• joint effect
• white blood cell

Acknowledgements

The authors thank all subjects for participating in this study.

Declaration of interest

The authors report that they have no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the article. Dr. Jun Liang’s research was sponsored by the Jiangsu Provincial Bureau of Health Foundation (H201356) & International Exchange Program and Jiangsu Six Talent Peaks Program (2013-WSN-013); it was also supported by the Xuzhou Outstanding Medical Academic Leader project and Xuzhou Science and Technology Grant (XM13B066 and XZZD1242).