@article{1119f61ada2d401eacfc2e09e95887e7,
title = "Use of white blood cell counts to predict metabolic syndrome in the elderly: A 4 year longitudinal study",
abstract = "Background: The white blood cell (WBC) count was one of the first inflammatory markers associated with metabolic syndrome (MetS). Recently, two longitudinal studies have demonstrated a cause and effect relationship between MetS and WBC counts among middle-aged adults. However, no study has used WBC cutoff values to predict MetS in the elderly.Methods: Subjects who underwent routine health checkups, and were above 60 years of age, were enrolled. All subjects were followed-up until they developed MetS or until 4 years from the date of entry, whichever came earlier. Of the 4539 subjects eligible for enrollment, 3428 subjects comprised the study group and 1111 subjects comprised the validation group.Results: WBC counts were significantly different between subjects with and without MetS in both genders. Using the ROC curve, WBC cutoff values of 5.7 × 103/l in males and 5.0 × 103/l in females were associated with the increased risk of developing MetS (all p values <0.001). Using these WBC cutoff values, the hazard ratio (HR) for females was significant in both the study group and validation group. However, the HR for males failed significance in the validation group. Kaplan-Meier plots and κ coefficients confirmed that the WBC cutoff value could predict development of MetS in women but not in men.Conclusions: The association between WBC count and MetS was gender specific. A WBC cutoff value greater than 5.0 103/l may predict the development of MetS in elderly women.",
keywords = "Elderly, Longitudinal, Metabolic syndrome, Prediction, WBC",
author = "Chao, {Ting Ting} and Hsieh, {Chang Hsun} and Lin, {Jiunn Diann} and Wu, {Chung Ze} and Hsu, {Chun Hsien} and Dee Pei and Chen, {Yen Lin} and Liang, {Yao Jen} and Chang, {Jin Biou}",
note = "Funding Information: 1Medical Research Center, Cardinal Tien Hospital, School of Medicine, Fu-Jen Catholic University, New Taipei, Taiwan, 2Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Tri-Service General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China, 3Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, Shuang-Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei, Taiwan, 4Department of Family Medicine, Cardinal Tien Hospital, School of Medicine, Fu-Jen Catholic University, New Taipei, Taiwan, 5Department of Internal Medicine, Cardinal Tien Hospital, School of Medicine, Fu-Jen Catholic University, New Taipei, Taiwan, 6Department of Pathology, Cardinal Tien Hospital, School of Medicine, Fu-Jen Catholic University, New Taipei, Taiwan, 7Department and Institute of Life Science, Fu-Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City, Taiwan, 8Department of Pathology, National Defense Medical Center, Division of Clinical Pathology, Tri-Service General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, and 9Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, Yuanpei University, Hsinchu, Taiwan Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2014 Informa UK Ltd.",
year = "2014",
month = dec,
day = "1",
doi = "10.3109/13685538.2013.875989",
language = "English",
volume = "17",
pages = "230--237",
journal = "Aging Male",
issn = "1368-5538",
publisher = "Informa Healthcare",
number = "4",
}