White blood cell count and all-cause and cause-specific mortality in the Guangzhou biobank cohort study

Associations of soy product intake with all-cause, cardiovascular disease and cancer mortality: Guangzhou Biobank Cohort Study and updated meta-analyses

PURPOSE

We examined the associations of soy product intake with all-cause, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and cancer mortality and mediations through CVD risk factors based on the Guangzhou Biobank Cohort Study (GBCS), and conducted updated meta-analyses.

METHODS

A total of 29,825 participants aged 50 + years were included. Causes of death were identified through record linkage. Soy product intake was assessed by food frequency questionnaire. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to analyze the associations between soy product intake and mortality, yielding hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Mediation analyses with CVD risk factors as mediators, and updated meta-analyses were conducted.

RESULTS

During 454,689 person-years of follow-up, 6899 deaths occurred, including 2694 CVD and 2236 cancer. Participants who consumed soy product of 1-6 portions/week, versus no consumption, had significantly lower risks of all-cause and CVD mortality (adjusted HR (95% CI) 0.91 (0.86, 0.97) and 0.87 (0.79, 0.96), respectively). In participants who consumed soy product of ≥ 7 portions/week, the association of higher intake with lower CVD mortality was modestly mediated by total cholesterol (4.2%, 95% CI 1.0-16.6%). Updated meta-analyses showed that the highest level of soy product intake, versus the lowest, was associated with lower risks of all-cause and CVD mortality (pooled HR (95% CI) 0.92 (0.88, 0.96) and 0.92 (0.87, 0.98), respectively).

CONCLUSION

Moderate and high soy product intake were associated with lower risks of all-cause and CVD mortality. Our findings provide support for current dietary guidelines recommending moderate soy product intake, and contribute additional evidence regarding the potential protective effects of high soy product intake.

Association of sleep duration and napping with stroke mortality in older Chinese: A 14-year prospective cohort study of the Guangzhou Biobank Cohort study

STUDY OBJECTIVE

Evidence regarding the association of short sleep duration and napping with stroke remains limited and controversial. We examined the association of sleep duration and napping with risk of stroke mortality in an older Chinese cohort.

METHODS

Sleep duration and daytime napping were assessed by face-to-face interview during 2003-2008. Information of causes of death until April 30, 2021 was collected via record linkage with the Death Registry. Cox regression was used to calculate the hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI).

RESULTS

Of 27,254 participants aged average 62.0 (standard deviation = 7.1) years, 818 stroke deaths occurred within 388,798 person-years (mean = 14.3 years) of follow-up. A U-shaped relation between sleep duration and risk of stroke mortality was observed. Participants with short (≤5 h/day) or long sleep duration (≥9 h/day) showed higher risks of total stroke mortality, with adjusted HRs (95% CIs) being 1.27 (1.01-1.59) and 1.37 (1.07-1.75), respectively. However, non-significant association of short or long sleep duration with hemorrhagic or ischemic stroke mortality was found. The associations of short and long sleep duration with total stroke mortality were more pronounced in those with hypertension (P for interaction with hypertension = 0.01), with HRs (95% CIs) being 1.37 (1.04-1.82) and 1.77 (1.33-2.36), respectively. No association between napping and risk of stroke mortality was found.

CONCLUSIONS

Both short and long sleep duration, but not daytime napping, were associated with higher risk of stroke mortality. Public health messages to encourage good sleep hygiene may be important, especially for people with hypertension.

The Impact of Physical Exercise on Obesity in a Cohort of Southern Italian Obese Children: Improvement in Cardiovascular Risk and Immune System Biomarkers

Background: Childhood obesity (CO) is a serious medical condition affecting approximately 120 million children and adolescents worldwide. It is characterized by a persistent inflammatory state with inflammatory markers overexpressed, which in turn leads to a higher cardiovascular risk. It is well known that physical exercise reduces the inflammatory state in obese children. In the present study, we evaluated various biochemical parameters in obese children performing physical exercise compared to a group of obese sedentary children. Hence, the objective is to identify a panel of biomarkers to prevent numerous obesity-related complications. Methods: We examined two populations: 44 sedentary obese children (OSe), recruited on 5 November 2018 from Santobono−Pausilipon Children’s Hospital, Naples (Italy) of age = 11 ± 3.3 and 30 obese children who practice sport (OSp) of age = 10 ± 2.5. We observed a significant variation in some biochemical parameters such as white blood cells, C-reactive protein (CRP), glycemia and insulinemia. Moreover, we determined the levels of interleukins, chemokines and defensins by ELISA assay. Results: Our results showed a reduction in serum level of glycemia (p-value < 0.001), neutrophils (p-value < 0.05) and CRP (p-value < 0.05), whereas no relevant variations have been reported in insulin levels. Moreover, we found a decrease in serum levels of PDGF-β (p-value < 0.05), IL-9 (p-value < 0.01), IL-6 (p-value < 0.0001), IL-8 (p-value < 0.0001), IP-10 (p-value < 0.01), Eotaxin (p-value < 0.0001) and GM-CSF (p-value < 0.01) in OSp population in comparison to OSe. At the same time, we did not observe any significant variation in serum levels of IL-1ra and IL-17 between the two populations. On the other hand, we found an increase in HNP-1 (p-value < 0.0001) and HBD1 (p-value < 0.01) in OSp if compared to OSe. Conclusions: This study shed light on the role of physical exercise on CO, demonstrating in our population that an early evaluation of some biochemical parameters could be an assumption to prescribe physical exercise in order to monitor and prevent childhood obesity and related disorders.

The Association between Serum Vitamin D Concentration and New Inflammatory Biomarkers-Systemic Inflammatory Index (SII) and Systemic Inflammatory Response (SIRI)-In Patients with Ischemic Heart Disease

The incidence of ischemic heart disease (IHD) increases every year. This cardiovascular disease has an inflammatory factor in its etiology due to different immune cells that influence atherogenesis. New inflammatory biomarkers—the Systemic Inflammatory Index (SII) and the Systemic Inflammatory Response (SIRI)—attempt to describe the pro- and anti-inflammatory balance and quantify the complex impact of the immune system on atherosclerosis, while vitamin D has a multidirectional impact on the human body, including the cardiovascular and immune systems. Hence, the objective of this research was to analyze the association between SII and SIRI and serum vitamin D concentrations in patients with IHD. A significant correlation was observed between SIRI and 25(OH)D in the whole group and between both biomarkers (SII and SIRI) and 25(OH)D in the group of patients with ACS but not in the group of patients with stable IHD. The role of vitamin D in IHD complications and its association with new inflammatory biomarkers requires further well-designed, large-scale research.

Cardiorespiratory fitness, white blood cell count, and mortality in men and women

BACKGROUND

We examined the associations of cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and white blood cell count (WBC) with mortality outcomes.

METHODS

A total of 52,056 apparently healthy adults completed a comprehensive health examination, including a maximal treadmill test and blood chemistry analyses. CRF was categorized as high, moderate, or low by age and sex; WBC was categorized as sex-specific quartiles.

RESULTS

During 17.8 ± 9.5 years (mean ± SD) of follow-up, a total of 4088 deaths occurred. When regressed jointly, significantly decreased all-cause mortality across CRF categories was observed within each quartile of WBC in men. Within WBC Quartile 1, all-cause mortality hazard ratios (HRs) with a 95% confidence interval (95%CI) were 1.0 (referent), 1.29 (95%CI: 1.06‒1.57), and 2.03 (95%CI: 1.42‒2.92) for high, moderate, and low CRF categories, respectively (p for trend < 0.001). Similar trends were observed in the remaining 3 quartiles. With the exception of cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality within Quartile 1 (p for trend = 0.743), there were also similar trends across CRF categories within WBC quartiles in men for both CVD and cancer mortality (p for trend < 0.01 for all). For women, there were no significant trends across CRF categories for mortality outcomes within Quartiles 1-3. However, we observed significantly decreased all-cause mortality across CRF categories within WBC Quartile 4 (HR = 1.05 (95%CI: 0.76‒1.44), HR = 1.63 (95%CI:1.20‒2.21), and HR = 1.87 (95%CI:1.29‒2.69) for high, moderate, and low CRF, respectively (p for trend = 0.002)). Similar trends in women were observed for CVD and cancer mortality within WBC Quartile 4 only.

CONCLUSION

There are strong joint associations between CRF, WBC, and all-cause, CVD, and cancer mortality in men; these associations are less consistent in women.

Dielectrophoretic separation of blood cells

Microfluidic dielectrophoretic (DEP) devices enable the label-free separation and isolation of cells based on differences in their electrophysiological properties. The technique can serve as a tool in clinical diagnostics and medical research as it facilitates the analysis of patient-specific blood composition and the detection and isolation of pathogenic cells like circulating tumor cells or malaria-infected erythrocytes. This review compares different microfluidic DEP devices to separate platelets, erythrocytes and leukocytes including their cellular subclasses. An overview and experimental setups of different microfluidic DEP devices for the separation, trapping and isolation or purification of blood cells are detailed with respect to their technical design, electrode configuration, sample preparation, applied voltage and frequency and created DEP field based and related to the separation efficiency. The technique holds the promise that results can quickly be attained in clinical and ambulant settings. In particular, point-of-care-testing scenarios are favored by the extensive miniaturization, which would be enabled by microelectronical integration of DEP devices.

Changes in blood pressure and cardiovascular disease in middle-aged to older Chinese: the Guangzhou Biobank Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

Most studies on the associations of blood pressure (BP) with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk were based on single or average BP levels. Knowledge on the association between BP trajectories and CVD in middle-aged individuals who are not on antihypertensive medication may inform the care of individuals in this group whose BPs are not controlled.

METHODS

Eight thousand nine hundred and sixty-nine participants aged 50-70 years, without CVD at baseline and not taking antihypertensive medication throughout the study, were included. Four time-points data from the Guangzhou Biobank Cohort Study were used to identify BP trajectories using latent class mixed model. Cox regression was used to investigate the association of BP trajectories with fatal and nonfatal CVD till April 2021.

RESULTS

Three SBP trajectories were identified: 'low-slow-increase' characterized by SBP from 110 to 125 mmHg (86.5%); 'low-increase' from 110 to 150 mmHg (8.1%) and 'moderate-increase' from 125 to 155 mmHg (5.4%). Compared with the low-slow-increase group, the moderate-increase had the highest risk of CVD (hazard ratio = 1.76, 95% confidence interval = 1.34-2.29), ischemic heart disease (1.77, 1.01-3.09), myocardial infarction (3.52, 1.58-7.85), all strokes (1.88, 1.37-2.60), ischemic stroke (1.65, 1.10-2.49), haemorrhagic stroke (3.98, 1.30-12.12) and CVD mortality (2.41, 1.55-3.76). Higher risks of CVD (1.27, 1.01-1.61) and ischemic stroke (1.49, 1.07-2.09) in the low-increase group were also found.

CONCLUSION

Most people between 50 and 70 years of age and not taking antihypertensive medication maintained a slow increase SBP trajectory over a follow-up period of approximately 7 years. However, those whose SBPs increased from low and moderate levels were associated with higher CVD risks.

Investigation of the Associations of Novel Inflammatory Biomarkers-Systemic Inflammatory Index (SII) and Systemic Inflammatory Response Index (SIRI)-With the Severity of Coronary Artery Disease and Acute Coronary Syndrome Occurrence

Atherosclerosis, the underlying cause of coronary artery disease (CAD), has a significant inflammatory component. White blood cell count is an affordable and accessible way to assess the systemic immune response, as it comprises many subgroups with distinct and complex functions. Considering their multidirectional effect on atherosclerosis, new biomarkers integrating various leukocyte subgroups, the Systemic Inflammatory Index (SII) and the Systemic Inflammatory Response Index (SIRI), were recently devised to describe the balance between inflammation and immune reaction. This research aimed to evaluate the relationship of the intensity of inflammation measured by these biomarkers with the severity of CAD assessed with coronary angiography and with the diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) or stable CAD in 699 patients. SIRI, but not SII, was associated with the diagnosis, having the highest values for patients with ACS (STEMI), significantly higher than in patients with stable CAD (p < 0.01). The highest SII and SIRI values were observed in patients with three-vessel CAD. SII and SIRI require further in-depth and well-designed research to evaluate their potential in a clinical setting.

Hematological biomarkers of systemic inflammation in genuine (physiologic and pathologic) halitosis

Halitosis is an unpleasant odor discharged through the oral cavity with a prevalence as high as 30%-50% of the general population. Conventional diagnostic methods have been focused on mouth air analysis measuring the amount of sulfur compounds which does not directly reflect the cause of halitosis. Also, the possible role of halitosis as an indicator of general health status has been steadily suggested and inflammation has been constantly associated with aversive body odor. Therefore, this study aimed to search for inter-relationships between hematologic indicators, clinical characteristics, and halitosis measurement that can predict the presence of pathologic halitosis and its intensity. Furthermore, the tentative relationship between halitosis and the presence of systemic inflammation was investigated. A total of 125 patients were divided into 103 patients in the genuine halitosis group (value ⩾80 ppb) and 22 patients in the pseudo halitosis group (value <80 ppb) based on portable sulfide monitor measurements. Clinical examination and hematological indices including inflammatory prognostic factors and halitosis measurements including organoleptic testing, portable sulfide monitor, and gas chromatography were evaluated. The genuine halitosis group showed a significantly higher white blood cell (WBC) count (p< 0.01) compared to the pseudo halitosis group. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR,β= 0.341,p< 0.05) values and duration of halitosis (β= 0.353,p< 0.05) showed a significant association with halitosis intensity and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) values (β= 3.859,p< 0.05) were significantly related to genuine halitosis diagnosis. A new WBC cut-off value of 5575μl^-1showed near to fair discriminative power in predicting genuine halitosis (area under the curve 0.661,p< 0.05). The results of this study showing an increased WBC count in genuine halitosis and its strong association with hematologic indices of subclinical inflammation including ESR and NLR suggest inflammatory hematologic markers as potential diagnostic tools in the diagnosis of genuine halitosis.

Total and differential white blood cell count and cause-specific mortality in 436 750 Taiwanese adults

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

White blood cell (WBC) count is an easily obtainable biomarker of systematic inflammation. Our study aimed to investigate the associations of differential WBC count with all-cause and cause-specific mortality in a general Asian population.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Cox proportional hazards model was used to evaluate the associations of WBC count with mortality separately for men and women, with adjustment for multiple variables including age, smoking, and other lifestyle factors. Stratified analyses by age, smoking, diabetes, and hypertension were conducted to explore potential effect modification. Elevated WBC count was significantly associated with increased mortality risk. The adjusted hazard ratios of total WBC (10th decile compared to decile of lowest risk) for all-cause mortality were 1.42 (95% CI: 1.33, 1.53) for men and 1.54 (95% CI: 1.42, 1.68) for women. Similar risks were observed for neutrophils, monocytes, and neutrophil/lymphocyte (NL) ratio. The highest deciles of neutrophils, monocytes, and NL ratio were also positively associated with risk of cardiovascular/cerebrovascular, cancer, and respiratory mortality after adjusting for covariates. Results for all-cause mortality remained statistically significant for participants who were <60 years old, non-smokers, non-diabetic, and non-hypertensive.

CONCLUSIONS

Total and differential WBC counts (neutrophils, monocytes, and NL ratios) are positively associated with increased risk of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular, cancer, and respiratory mortality among Taiwanese adults.

Is White Blood Cell Count Associated With Mortality in Peritoneal Dialysis Patients?: A Retrospective Single-Center Analysis

Objective

White blood cell (WBC) count was used as a predictor in researches since it is a prognostic indicator and a substantial predictor of the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD). There have been very few reports looking at the association between WBC count and overall mortality in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. We intended to explore if the baseline total leukocyte count is linked to all-cause mortality, considering the association for linearity in PD patients.

Material and methods

The study comprised 204 incident PD patients who began treatment at the Nephrology Department of Health Sciences University, Kayseri Medical Faculty, Kayseri City Hospital between January 2009 and December 2017. The research period ended in January 2018. The link between baseline WBC count and all-cause mortality was studied using Cox proportional hazards models.

Results

The average age of the patients was 46.75 (8.49) years, and 48.5% were male. Diabetes and hypertension were prevalent in 59.8% and 76% of the population, respectively. The average WBC count was 9.37 (2.70) × 10³/µL. The mortality risk increased by 23% for every one-unit increase in the crude model. The hazard of death in the fully corrected model was 1.12 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.02-1.23, p = 0.015]. In the models with WBC count stratified by tertiles, the mortality hazard of patients in tertile 2 was 2.38 (95% CI: 1.24-4.58, p = 0.009) and of patients in tertile 3 in the fully adjusted model was 2.64 (95% CI: 1.30-5.33, p = 0.007), compared with patients in tertile 1.

Conclusion

The initial WBC count may have a long-term impact on patient survival. Individuals with higher basal values or even an elevation in follow-up should therefore be strictly controlled, and all preventative measures should be made to lower the risk level.

Higher total white blood cell and neutrophil counts are associated with an increased risk of fatal stroke occurrence: the Guangzhou biobank cohort study

Background

Chronic inflammatory diseases are linked to an increased risk of stroke events. The white blood cell (WBC) count is a common marker of the inflammatory response. However, it is unclear whether the WBC count, its subpopulations and their dynamic changes are related to the risk of fatal stroke in relatively healthy elderly population.

Methods

In total, 27,811 participants without a stroke history at baseline were included and followed up for a mean of 11.5 (standard deviation = 2.3) years. After review of available records, 503 stroke deaths (ischaemic 227, haemorrhagic 172 and unclassified 104) were recorded. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to assess the associations between the WBC count, its subpopulations and their dynamic changes (two-phase examination from baseline to the 1st follow-up) and the risk of fatal all stroke, fatal ischaemic stroke and fatal haemorrhagic stroke.

Results

(i) Regarding the WBC count in relation to the risk of fatal stroke, restricted cubic splines showed an atypically U-curved association between the WBC count and the risk of fatal all stroke occurrence. Compared with those in the lowest WBC count quartile (< 5.3*10^9/L), the participants with the highest WBC count (> 7.2*10^9/L) had a 53 and 67% increased risk for fatal all stroke (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] = 1.53, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.16–2.02, P = 0.003) and fatal haemorrhagic stroke (aHR = 1.67, 95% CI 1.10–2.67, P = 0.03), respectively; compared with those in the lowest quartile (< 3.0*10^9/L), the participants with the highest NEUT count (> 4.5*10^9/L) had a 45 and 65% increased risk for fatal all stroke (aHR = 1.45, 95% CI 1.10–1.89, P = 0.008) and fatal ischaemic stroke (aHR = 1.65, 95%CI 1.10–2.47 P = 0.02), respectively. With the additional adjustment for C-reactive protein, the same results as those for all stroke and ischaemic stroke, but not haemorrhagic stroke, were obtained for the WBC count (4 ~ 10*10^9/L) and the NEUT count (the NEUT counts in the top 1% and bottom 1% at baseline were excluded). (ii) Regarding dynamic changes in the WBC count in relation to the risk of fatal stroke, compared with the stable group (− 25% ~ 25%, dynamic changes from two phases of examination (baseline, from September 1st, 2003 to February 28th, 2008; 1st follow-up, from March 31st 2008 to December 31st 2012)), the groups with a 25% increase in the WBC count and NEUT count respectively had a 60% (aHR = 1.60, 95% CI 1.07–2.40, P = 0.02) and 45% (aHR = 1.45, 95% CI1.02–2.05, P = 0.04) increased risk of fatal all stroke occurrence.

Conclusions

The WBC count, especially the NEUT count, was associated with an increased risk of fatal all stroke occurrence. Longitudinal changes in the WBC count and NEUT count increase in excess of 25% were also associated with an increased risk of fatal all stroke occurrence in the elderly population.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12883-021-02495-z.

Prediction model for cardiovascular disease risk in hemodialysis patients

PURPOSE

To derive and validate a prediction score for cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in hemodialysis patients in China.

METHODS

Three hundred and eighty-eight patients with regular hemodialysis for more than 3 months were recruited from January 1, 2015 to September 30, 2019 and followed up till May 31, 2020. We derived a prediction score using all participants as a training data set and validated using a bootstrap validation data set. Discriminatory ability of the prediction score was assessed by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC).

RESULTS

Of 388 patients without CVD at baseline, 132 developed first CVD events during an average follow-up of 3.27 (inter-quartile range = 3.08) years. Of 26 clinical parameters, age, hypertension, diabetes and abnormal white blood cell (WBC) count were identified as significant predictors and included in the prediction model. Compared to those without any of these risk factors, those with one, two, and three to four points showed increased risks of CVD, with the adjusted hazards ratio and 95% confidence interval (CI) being 3.29 (1.17-9.26), 7.42 (2.68-20.51) and 15.43 (5.44-43.75), respectively. The score showed satisfactory discriminatory ability in both training and validation data set (AUC = 0.7025, 95% CI 0.6520-0.7530, and 0.6876, 95% CI 0.6553-0.7200, respectively).

CONCLUSION

We derived and validated a prediction score for CVD risk in hemodialysis patients in China. Given there is a rapid increase in the number of hemodialysis patients, this simple point score can be used to identify high-risk individuals in clinical practice for more precise and efficient personalized treatment.

A Simple Model for Predicting 10-Year Cardiovascular Risk in Middle-Aged to Older Chinese: Guangzhou Biobank Cohort Study

The aim of this paper is to develop 10-year cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk prediction models for the contemporary Chinese populations based on the Guangzhou Biobank Cohort Study (GBCS) and to compare its performance with models based on Framingham's general cardiovascular risk profile and the Prediction for Atherosclerotic CVD Risk in China (China-PAR) project. Subjects were randomly classified into the training (n = 15,000) and validation (n = 12,721) sets. During an average of 12.0 years' follow-up, 3,732 CVD events occurred. A 10-year sex-specific CVD risk prediction model including age, systolic blood pressure, use of antihypertensive medication, smoking, and diabetes was developed. Compared with the Framingham and China-PAR models, the GBCS model had a better discrimination in both women (c-statistic 0.72, 95% CI 0.71-0.73) and men (c-statistic 0.68, 95% CI 0.67-0.70), and the risk predicted was closer to the actual risk. This prediction model would be useful for identifying individuals at higher risks of CVD in contemporary Chinese populations.

Association of fish consumption with risk of all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality: an 11-year follow-up of the Guangzhou Biobank Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

Whether fish consumption is associated with all-cause, cardiovascular (CVD), ischemic heart disease (IHD) and stroke mortality remains inconclusive. We examined the association of fish consumption with all-cause, cardiovascular (CVD), ischemic heart disease (IHD) and stroke mortality in older men and women in south China.

METHODS

A total of 18,215 participants including men and women without CVD at baseline (2003-2006) from Guangzhou Biobank Cohort Study (GBCS) were included and followed up till December 2017. Deaths were identified through record linkage with the Death Registry. Information on fish consumption was obtained using a food frequency questionnaire.

RESULTS

During an average follow-up of 11.4 (standard deviation = 2.1) years, 2,697 deaths occurred, including 917 total CVD, 397 IHD and 374 stroke deaths. After adjusting for potential confounders, compared with fish consumption of 0-3 servings/week (i.e., 0-21 g/day, one serving = 50 g), consumption of 4-6 servings/week (29-43 g/day) showed significantly lower risks of all-cause and CVD mortality (hazards ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.85 (0.76, 0.95) and 0.77 (0.64, 0.93), respectively), but the reduced risk of IHD mortality (HR (95% CI): 0.80 (0.60, 1.07)) was not significant. Consumption of 7-10 servings/week or higher showed no association with all-cause, CVD, IHD, and stroke mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

Moderate fish consumption of 4-6 servings/week (29-43 g/day) was associated with lower all-cause and CVD mortality risk. Our findings support the current general advice on regular fish consumption also in middle-aged and older adults.

Mortality in relation to changes in physical activity in middle-aged to older Chinese: An 8-year follow-up of the Guangzhou Biobank Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

Physical activity (PA) is generally encouraged. Studies from developed countries in the West have shown that maintenance of adequate PA or increasing PA are associated with lower mortality risk. It is unclear whether these associations apply to an older Chinese population. Hence, we examined the changes in PA prospectively among a middle-aged and older Chinese population over an average of 4 years and explored their subsequent mortality risks.

METHODS

Metabolic equivalent scores of PA among participants in the Guangzhou Biobank Cohort Study were calculated. Participants were divided into 3 groups related to PA level, and changes in PA were classified into 9 categories. Information on vital status and causes of death from March 2008 to December 2012 (the first repeated examination) until December 31, 2017, was obtained via record linkage with the Death Registry.

RESULTS

Of 18,104 participants aged 61.21 ± 6.85 years (mean ± SD), 1461 deaths occurred within 141,417 person-years. Compared to participants who maintained moderate PA, those who decreased PA from moderate or high levels to a low level had increased risks for all-cause mortality (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.47, 95% confidence interval (95%CI): 1.11-1.96). Participants who maintained a high level of PA (HR = 0.83, 95%CI: 0.70-0.98) or increased PA from low to high levels (HR = 0.71, 95%CI: 0.52-0.97) showed lower all-cause mortality risks. Those who maintained low PA levels showed a higher all-cause mortality risk, whereas those who increased their PA levels showed a non-significantly lower risk. Similar results were found for cardiovascular disease risk.

CONCLUSION

Even at an older age, maintaining a high PA level or increasing PA from low to high levels results in lower mortality risks, suggesting that substantial health benefits might be achieved by maintaining or increasing engagement in adequate levels of PA. The increased risk of maintaining a low PA level or decreasing PA to a low level warrants the attention of public health officials and clinicians.

Body Fat Composition Enhances the Predictive Ability of Changes in White Blood Cell Levels Associated with the Risk of Chronic Disease Development

The study aimed to revalidate the influence of WBCs on chronic disease risk factors and to verify which markers are independently involved in WBC level changes in a Korean population. A total of 80 Korean subjects were divided into three groups, according to the WBC count: mild decrease in WBC, normal WBC, and mild increase in WBC. Fasting blood samples for analyzing biochemical parameters and inflammatory markers were obtained from the subjects, and their body fat composition was evaluated by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry and computed tomography. The WBC levels were related to levels of adiponectin, triglyceride, and insulin, which are associated with the risk of chronic diseases. In the mild increase in WBC group, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and TNF-α levels increased, and s.c. fat area at the first lumbar vertebrae and fourth lumbar vertebrae decreased. The WBC count positively correlated with hs-CRP and TNF-α levels and most of the body fat composition data, evaluated by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry and computed tomography. Notably, hs-CRP and TNF-α levels, fat mass, and visceral-to-s.c. fat area ratio at the first lumbar vertebrae were revealed as independent predictors of WBC level change. Finally, the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that the additional use of body fat composition data with the conventional inflammatory markers reliably enhanced the predictive capacity of WBC level changes. Thus, we suggest that by controlling inflammatory markers and body fat composition, WBC levels can be kept within a range that is safe from the risk of chronic diseases.

White blood cell count as a mediator of the relationship between depressive symptoms and all-cause mortality: A community-based cohort study

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

One possible pathway by which depressive symptoms influence all-cause mortality is through their relationship with markers of inflammatory response. We aimed to examine whether white blood cell (WBC) count mediated the relationship between the presence of depressive symptoms and all-cause mortality among older Chinese people.

METHODS

This community-based cohort study targeted 4053 individuals aged 60 years or over. A bootstrapping approach was applied to examine whether WBC count mediated the relationship between the presence of depressive symptoms and all-cause mortality. WBC count was evaluated as a mediator. The presence of depressive symptoms was assessed by the nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). The mediating effect was considered significant if the 95% confidence interval (CI) did not include 0.

RESULTS

Mediation analysis indicated that WBC count played an important mediating role in the relationship between PHQ-9 score and all-cause mortality based on the significance of indirect effect (β = -0.0039, 95% CI = -0.01, -0.0009). The direct effect from PHQ-9 score to all-cause mortality was not statistically significant (P = 0.11) after adjusting for WBC count.

CONCLUSION

WBC count was associated with depressive symptoms and all-cause mortality. The association of depressive symptoms with all-cause mortality was fully mediated by WBC count.

The Associations of Two Novel Inflammation Indexes, SII and SIRI with the Risks for Cardiovascular Diseases and All-Cause Mortality: A Ten-Year Follow-Up Study in 85,154 Individuals

Background

SII and SIRI are two novel systemic inflammation indexes that were suggested in predicting poor outcomes in cancers. However, no studies have examined their effect on cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and all-cause mortality. Thus, this study aims to investigate associations between SII, SIRI, and the risks for CVDs and all-cause mortality.

Methods

A total of 85,154 participants from the Kailuan cohort were included and followed up for incidents of CVDs (including MI, stroke) and all-cause death for 10 years. Multiple Cox regression was used to calculate the adjusted hazard ratios (HRs).

Results

During the follow-up period, 4262 stroke events, 1233 MI events, and 7225 all-cause deaths were identified, respectively. Compared with the lowest quantile (Q1) of SII or SIRI, after adjusted for most cardiovascular risk factors, both indexes showed positive associations with the risk for stroke (adjusted HRs in Q4 were 1.264 (95% CI: 1.157,1.382) for SII, 1.194 (95% CI: 1.087,1.313) for SIRI), and all-cause death (adjusted HRs in Q4 were 1.246 (95% CI: 1.165,1.331) for SII, 1.393 (95% CI: 1.296,1.498) for SIRI). Additionally, higher SII and SIRI are also associated with increased risk of hemorrhagic stroke and ischemic stroke. Higher SIRI but not SII exhibited a higher MI risk, the adjusted HR in Q4 was 1.204 (1.013,1.431). The significant association remained after additional adjustment for CRP. Subgroup analysis and sensitivity analysis displayed consistent results except for SIRI with MI, where the association did not arrive at significance in subjects aged ≥60.

Conclusion

Elevated SII and SIRI increased the risk of stroke, two stroke subtypes, and all-cause death. Higher SIRI, but not SII associated with increased MI incidence, and the association of SIRI was only significant in subjects aged <60.

Adiposity change and mortality in middle-aged to older Chinese: an 8-year follow-up of the Guangzhou Biobank Cohort Study

OBJECTIVE

To examine the associations of change in body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) over an average of 4 years with subsequent mortality risk in middle-aged to older Chinese.

DESIGN

Prospective cohort study based on the Guangzhou Biobank Cohort Study.

SETTING

Community-based sample.

PARTICIPANTS

17 773 participants (12 956 women and 4817 men) aged 50+ years.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES

Primary outcome measure was all-cause mortality. Secondary outcome measures were cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cancer mortality. Causes of death were obtained via record linkage, and coded according to the International Classification of Diseases (tenth revision).

RESULTS

1424 deaths (53.4% women) occurred in the 17 773 participants (mean age 61.2, SD 6.8 years) during an average follow-up of 7.8 (SD=1.5) years, and 97.7% of participants did not have an intention of weight loss . Compared with participants with stable BMI, participants with BMI loss (>5%), but not gain, had a higher risk of all-cause mortality (HR=1.49, 95% CI 1.31 to 1.71), which was greatest in those who were underweight (HR=2.45, 95% CI 1.31 to 4.59). Similar patterns were found for WC. In contrast, for participants with a BMI of ≥27.5 kg/m², BMI gain, versus stable BMI, was associated with 89% higher risk of all-cause mortality (HR=1.89, 95% CI 1.25 to 2.88), 72% higher risk of CVD mortality (HR=1.72, 95% CI 0.80 to 3.72) and 2.27-fold risk of cancer mortality (HR=2.27, 95% CI 1.26 to 4.10).

CONCLUSION

In older people, unintentional BMI/WC loss, especially in those who were underweight was associated with higher mortality risk. However, BMI gain in those with obesity showed excess risks of all-cause and cancer mortality, but not CVD mortality. Frequent monitoring of changes in body size can be used as an early warning for timely clinical investigations and interventions and is important to inform appropriate health management in older Chinese.

Preoperative monocyte-to-HDL-cholesterol ratio predicts early recurrence after radiofrequency maze procedure of valvular atrial fibrillation

Background

Monocyte‐to‐high‐density lipoprotein (M/H) ratio has emerged as a novel cardiovascular prognostic biomarker. We aimed to evaluate the prognostic values of M/H with early recurrence in persistent valvular atrial fibrillation (AF) patients after radiofrequency (RF) maze procedure.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed 131 consecutive persistent AF patients with valvular heart diseases who were followed up 3 months after RF maze procedure. Their clinical data were recorded. Logistic regression analyses were performed for significant predictors. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was used for validation with corresponding area under the curve.

Results

70 (53.4%) patients experienced early recurrence after procedure. Patients with early recurrence were older, have longer AF duration history, larger left atria diameter (LAD), higher plasma C‐reactive protein (CRP), lower triglycerides (TG), lower cholesterol (TC), increased monocyte counts, lower HDL cholesterol, and increased M/H ratio. In multivariate analysis, age (OR 1.1 95% CI 1.0‐1.1 P = .003), LAD (OR 2.1, 95%CI 1.2‐3.5, P = .006), TG (OR 0.35, 95% CI 0.15‐0.84, P = .019), M/H (OR 6.1, 95% CI 2.9‐13.0, P < .001) were significantly independent predictors of AF early recurrence. M/H ratio demonstrated a significant predictive value (AUC = 0.77, sensitivity 89.0%, specificity 54%). Further, there was a positive correlation of M/H ratio with CRP and white blood cell.

Conclusion

Preoperative M/H ratio was an independent risk factor of AF early recurrence following RF maze operation. M/H ratio should be considered in prediction of early recurrence for valvular AF patients.

Evaluating the impact of trauma and PTSD on epigenetic prediction of lifespan and neural integrity

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a debilitating disorder that develops in some people following trauma exposure. Trauma and PTSD have been associated with accelerated cellular aging. This study evaluated the effect of trauma and PTSD on accelerated GrimAge, an epigenetic predictor of lifespan, in traumatized civilians. This study included 218 individuals with current PTSD, 427 trauma-exposed controls without any history of PTSD and 209 subjects with lifetime PTSD history who are not categorized as current PTSD cases. The Traumatic Events Inventory (TEI) and Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) were used to measure lifetime trauma burden and PTSD, respectively. DNA from whole blood was interrogated using the MethylationEPIC or HumanMethylation450 BeadChips. GrimAge estimates were calculated using the methylation age calculator. Cortical thickness of 69 female subjects was assessed by using T1-weighted structural MRI images. Associations between trauma exposure, PTSD, cortical thickness, and GrimAge acceleration were tested with multiple regression models. Lifetime trauma burden (p = 0.03), current PTSD (p = 0.02) and lifetime PTSD (p = 0.005) were associated with GrimAge acceleration, indicative of a shorter predicted lifespan. The association with lifetime PTSD was replicated in an independent cohort (p = 0.04). In the MRI sub sample, GrimAge acceleration also associated with cortical atrophy in the right lateral orbitofrontal cortex (padj = 0.03) and right posterior cingulate (padj = 0.04), brain areas associated with emotion-regulation and threat-regulation. Our findings suggest that lifetime trauma and PTSD may contribute to a higher epigenetic-based mortality risk. We also demonstrate a relationship between cortical atrophy in PTSD-relevant brain regions and shorter predicted lifespan.