Components of the complete blood count as risk predictors for coronary heart disease: In-depth review and update

Texas Heart Institute Journal

Volumn 40, Issue 1, 2013, Pages 17-29

  Madjid, Mohammad ^a   Fatemi, Omid ^b,c  

^a ST LUKE S EPISCOPAL HOSPITAL   (United States)

^b BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE   (United States)

^c WASHINGTON HOSPITAL CENTER   (United States)

Author keywords

Atherosclerosis; Biological markers blood; Complete blood count; Coronary artery disease; Coronary heart disease; Inflammation; Leukocyte count; White blood cell count

Indexed keywords

C REACTIVE PROTEIN; FIBRINOGEN; HIGH DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN CHOLESTEROL; HYDROXYMETHYLGLUTARYL COENZYME A REDUCTASE INHIBITOR; LOW DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN CHOLESTEROL; PLACEBO; PRAVASTATIN; TIROFIBAN; VON WILLEBRAND FACTOR;

ACUTE CORONARY SYNDROME; ACUTE HEART INFARCTION; ATHEROSCLEROSIS; BLOOD CELL COUNT; CEREBROVASCULAR ACCIDENT; CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE; CORONARY RISK; DOSAGE SCHEDULE COMPARISON; EOSINOPHIL COUNT; ERYTHROCYTE COUNT; ERYTHROCYTE SEDIMENTATION RATE; FRAMINGHAM RISK SCORE; HEART REINFARCTION; HEMATOCRIT; HUMAN; ISCHEMIC HEART DISEASE; LEUKOCYTE COUNT; LEUKOCYTOSIS; NEUTROPHIL COUNT; PERCUTANEOUS CORONARY INTERVENTION; PERIPHERAL OCCLUSIVE ARTERY DISEASE; PREDICTIVE VALUE; REVIEW; ST SEGMENT ELEVATION MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION; THROMBOCYTE COUNT; UNSTABLE ANGINA PECTORIS;

ATHEROSCLEROSIS; BIOLOGICAL MARKERS/BLOOD; COMPLETE BLOOD COUNT; CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE; CORONARY HEART DISEASE; INFLAMMATION; LEUKOCYTE COUNT; WHITE BLOOD CELL COUNT;

BIOLOGICAL MARKERS; BLOOD CELL COUNT; C-REACTIVE PROTEIN; CORONARY DISEASE; ERYTHROCYTE COUNT; HEMATOCRIT; HUMANS; HYDROXYMETHYLGLUTARYL-COA REDUCTASE INHIBITORS; INFLAMMATION MEDIATORS; LEUKOCYTE COUNT; PLATELET COUNT; PREDICTIVE VALUE OF TESTS; PROGNOSIS; RISK ASSESSMENT; RISK FACTORS;

EID: 84877696562     PISSN: 07302347     EISSN: 15266702     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: None     Document Type: Review

References (180)

1. Lloyd-Jones D, Adams R, Carnethon M, De Simone G, Ferguson TB, Flegal K, et al. Heart disease and stroke statistics--2009 update: a report from the American Heart Association Statistics Committee and Stroke Statistics Subcommittee [published errata appear in Circulation 2011;124 (16):e424, Circulation 2010;122(1):e11, and Circulation 2009;119(3):e182]. Circulation 2009;119(3):e21-181.
2. Heidenreich PA, Trogdon JG, Khavjou OA, Butler J, Dracup K, Ezekowitz MD, et al. Forecasting the future of cardiovascular disease in the United States: a policy statement from the American Heart Association. Circulation 2011;123(8):933-44.
3. Libby P. Inflammation in atherosclerosis. Nature 2002;420 (6917):868-74.
4. Madjid M, Casscells SW, Willerson JT. Biomarkers of inflammation as surrogate markers in detection of vulnerable plaques and vulnerable patients In: Willerson JT, Cohn JN, Wellens HJJ, Holmes DR Jr, editors. Cardiovascular medicine. 3rd ed. London: Springer-Verlag London Limited; 2007. p. 641-51.
5. Folsom AR, Chambless LE, Ballantyne CM, Coresh J, Heiss G, Wu KK, et al. An assessment of incremental coronary risk prediction using C-reactive protein and other novel risk markers: the atherosclerosis risk in communities study. Arch Intern Med 2006;166(13):1368-73.
6. Madjid M, Awan I, Willerson JT, Casscells SW. Leukocyte count and coronary heart disease: implications for risk assessment. J Am Coll Cardiol 2004;44(10):1945-56.
7. Koren-Morag N, Tanne D, Goldbourt U. White blood cell count and the incidence of ischemic stroke in coronary heart disease patients. Am J Med 2005;118(9):1004-9.
8. Haim M, Boyko V, Goldbourt U, Battler A, Behar S. Predictive value of elevated white blood cell count in patients with preexisting coronary heart disease: the Bezafibrate Infarction Prevention Study. Arch Intern Med 2004;164(4):433-9.
9. Andresdottir MB, Sigfusson N, Sigvaldason H, Gudnason V. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate, an independent predictor of coronary heart disease in men and women: The Reykjavik Study. Am J Epidemiol 2003;158(9):844-51.
10. Gillum RF, Mussolino ME, Makuc DM. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate and coronary heart disease: the NHANES I Epidemiologic Follow-up Study. J Clin Epidemiol 1995;48 (3):353-61.
11. Bholasingh R, Cornel JH, Kamp O, van Straalen JP, Sanders GT, Dijksman L, et al. The prognostic value of markers of inflammation in patients with troponin T-negative chest pain before discharge from the emergency department. Am J Med 2003;115(7):521-8.
12. Keefer CS, Resnik WH. Angina pectoris. A syndrome caused by anoxemia of the myocardium. Arch Intern Med 1928;41 (6):769-807.
13. Rana JS, Boekholdt SM, Ridker PM, Jukema JW, Luben R, Bingham SA, et al. Differential leucocyte count and the risk of future coronary artery disease in healthy men and women: the EPIC-Norfolk Prospective Population Study. J Intern Med 2007;262(6):678-89.
14. Zalokar JB, Richard JL, Claude JR. Leukocyte count, smoking, and myocardial infarction. N Engl J Med 1981;304(8): 465-8.
15. Phillips AN, Neaton JD, Cook DG, Grimm RH, Shaper AG. Leukocyte count and risk of major coronary heart disease events. Am J Epidemiol 1992;136(1):59-70.
16. Gillum RF, Mussolino ME, Madans JH. Counts of neutrophils, lymphocytes, and monocytes, cause-specific mortality and coronary heart disease: the NHANES-I epidemiologic follow-up study. Ann Epidemiol 2005;15(4):266-71.
17. Weijenberg MP, Feskens EJ, Kromhout D. White blood cell count and the risk of coronary heart disease and all-cause mortality in elderly men. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 1996;16 (4):499-503.
18. Folsom AR, Wu KK, Rosamond WD, Sharrett AR, Chambless LE. Prospective study of hemostatic factors and incidence of coronary heart disease: the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study. Circulation 1997;96(4):1102-8.
19. Lee CD, Folsom AR, Nieto FJ, Chambless LE, Shahar E, Wolfe DA. White blood cell count and incidence of coronary heart disease and ischemic stroke and mortality from cardiovascular disease in African-American and White men and women: atherosclerosis risk in communities study. Am J Epidemiol 2001;154(8):758-64.
20. Aronow HD, Quinn MJ, Gurm HS, Lauer MS, Brennan DM, Topol EJ, Lincoff AM. Preprocedure inflammatory state predicts periprocedural myocardial infarction after elective percutaneous coronary intervention: an EPIC substudy [abstract 1051-190]. J Am Coll Cardiol 2003;41(6 Suppl 1): 17A.
21. Manttari M, Manninen V, Koskinen P, Huttunen JK, Oksanen E, Tenkanen L, et al. Leukocytes as a coronary risk factor in a dyslipidemic male population. Am Heart J 1992;123(4 Pt 1):873-7.
22. Grimm RH Jr, Neaton JD, Ludwig W. Prognostic importance of the white blood cell count for coronary, cancer, and all-cause mortality. JAMA 1985;254(14):1932-7.
23. Brown DW, Giles WH, Croft JB. White blood cell count: an independent predictor of coronary heart disease mortality among a national cohort. J Clin Epidemiol 2001;54(3):316-22.
24. Takeda Y, Suzuki S, Fukutomi T, Kondo H, Sugiura M, Suzumura H, et al. Elevated white blood cell count as a risk factor of coronary artery disease: inconsistency between forms of the disease. Jpn Heart J 2003;44(2):201-11.
25. Weiner DE, Tighiouart H, Elsayed EF, Griffith JL, Salem DN, Levey AS, Sarnak MJ. Inflammation and cardiovascular events in individuals with and without chronic kidney disease. Kidney Int 2008;73(12):1406-12.
26. Zouridakis EG, Garcia-Moll X, Kaski JC. Usefulness of the blood lymphocyte count in predicting recurrent instability and death in patients with unstable angina pectoris. Am J Cardiol 2000;86(4):449-51.
27. Cannon CP, McCabe CH, Wilcox RG, Bentley JH, Braunwald E. Association of white blood cell count with increased mortality in acute myocardial infarction and unstable angina pectoris. OPUS-TIMI 16 Investigators. Am J Cardiol 2001; 87(5):636-9, A10.
28. Sabatine MS, Morrow DA, Cannon CP, Murphy SA, Demopoulos LA, DiBattiste PM, et al. Relationship between baseline white blood cell count and degree of coronary artery disease and mortality in patients with acute coronary syndromes: a TACTICS-TIMI 18 (Treat Angina with Aggrastat and determine Cost of Therapy with an Invasive or Conservative Strategy-Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction 18 trial) substudy. J Am Coll Cardiol 2002;40(10):1761-8.
29. Mueller C, Neumann FJ, Perruchoud AP, Buettner HJ. White blood cell count and long term mortality after non-ST elevation acute coronary syndrome treated with very early revascularisation. Heart 2003;89(4):389-92.
30. Barron HV, Cannon CP, Murphy SA, Braunwald E, Gibson CM. Association between white blood cell count, epicardial blood flow, myocardial perfusion, and clinical outcomes in the setting of acute myocardial infarction: a thrombolysis in myocardial infarction 10 substudy. Circulation 2000;102(19): 2329-34.
31. Cheng ML, Chen CM, Gu PW, Ho HY, Chiu DT. Elevated levels of myeloperoxidase, white blood cell count and 3-chlorotyrosine in Taiwanese patients with acute myocardial infarction. Clin Biochem 2008;41(7-8):554-60.
32. Menon V, Lessard D, Yarzebski J, Furman MI, Gore JM, Goldberg RJ. Leukocytosis and adverse hospital outcomes after acute myocardial infarction. Am J Cardiol 2003;92(4): 368-72.
33. Blum A. White blood cell count and the coronary anatomy in acute coronary events. Am J Cardiol 2005;95(1):159-60.
34. Furman MI, Becker RC, Yarzebski J, Savegeau J, Gore JM, Goldberg RJ. Effect of elevated leukocyte count on in-hospital mortality following acute myocardial infarction. Am J Cardiol 1996;78(8):945-8.
35. Barron HV, Harr SD, Radford MJ, Wang Y, Krumholz HM. The association between white blood cell count and acute myocardial infarction mortality in patients > or =65 years of age: findings from the cooperative cardiovascular project. J Am Coll Cardiol 2001;38(6):1654-61.
36. Hung MJ, Cherng WJ. Comparison of white blood cell counts in acute myocardial infarction patients with significant versus insignificant coronary artery disease. Am J Cardiol 2003;91(11):1339-42.
37. Grzybowski M, Welch RD, Parsons L, Ndumele CE, Chen E, Zalenski R, Barron HV. The association between white blood cell count and acute myocardial infarction in-hospital mortality: findings from the National Registry of Myocardial Infarction. Acad Emerg Med 2004;11(10):1049-60.
38. Grau AJ, Boddy AW, Dukovic DA, Buggle F, Lichy C, Brandt T, Hacke W. Leukocyte count as an independent predictor of recurrent ischemic events. Stroke 2004;35(5):1147-52.
39. Smit JJ, Ottervanger JP, Kolkman JJ, Slingerland RJ, Suryapranata H, Hoorntje JC, et al. Change of white blood cell count more prognostic important than baseline values after primary percutaneous coronary intervention for ST elevation myocardial infarction. Thromb Res 2008;122(2):185-9.
40. Dragu R, Khoury S, Zuckerman R, Suleiman M, Mutlak D, Agmon Y, et al. Predictive value of white blood cell subtypes for long-term outcome following myocardial infarction. Atherosclerosis 2008;196(1):405-12.
41. Dacey LJ, DeSimone J, Braxton JH, Leavitt BJ, Lahey SJ, Klemperer JD, et al. Preoperative white blood cell count and mortality and morbidity after coronary artery bypass grafting. Ann Thorac Surg 2003;76(3):760-4.
42. Kochanek PM, Hallenbeck JM. Polymorphonuclear leukocytes and monocytes/macrophages in the pathogenesis of cerebral ischemia and stroke. Stroke 1992;23(9):1367-79.
43. Lindsberg PJ, Grau AJ. Inflammation and infections as risk factors for ischemic stroke. Stroke 2003;34(10):2518-32.
44. Beamer NB, Coull BM, Clark WM, Briley DP, Wynn M, Sexton G. Persistent inflammatory response in stroke survivors. Neurology 1998;50(6):1722-8.
45. Tohgi H, Konno S, Takahashi S, Koizumi D, Kondo R, Takahashi H. Activated coagulation/fibrinolysis system and platelet function in acute thrombotic stroke patients with increased C-reactive protein levels. Thromb Res 2000;100(5):373-9.
46. Patel MR, Mahaffey KW, Armstrong PW, Weaver WD, Tasissa G, Hochman JS, et al. Prognostic usefulness of white blood cell count and temperature in acute myocardial infarction (from the CARDINAL Trial). Am J Cardiol 2005;95(5): 614-8.
47. Pellizzon GG, Dixon SR, Stone GW, Cox DA, Mattos L, Boura JA, et al. Relation of admission white blood cell count to long-term outcomes after primary coronary angioplasty for acute myocardial infarction (The Stent PAMI Trial). Am J Cardiol 2003;91(6):729-31.
48. Danesh J, Collins R, Appleby P, Peto R. Association of fibrinogen, C-reactive protein, albumin, or leukocyte count with coronary heart disease: meta-analyses of prospective studies. JAMA 1998;279(18):1477-82.
49. Danesh J, Wheeler JG, Hirschfield GM, Eda S, Eiriksdottir G, Rumley A, et al. C-reactive protein and other circulating markers of inflammation in the prediction of coronary heart disease. N Engl J Med 2004;350(14):1387-97.
50. Prentice RL, Szatrowski TP, Fujikura T, Kato H, Mason MW, Hamilton HH. Leukocyte counts and coronary heart disease in a Japanese cohort. Am J Epidemiol 1982;116(3):496-509.
51. Umemoto S, Suzuki N, Fujii K, Fujii A, Fujii T, Iwami T, et al. Eosinophil counts and plasma fibrinogen in patients with vasospastic angina pectoris. Am J Cardiol 2000;85(6):715-9.
52. Olivares R, Ducimetiere P, Claude JR. Monocyte count: a risk factor for coronary heart disease? Am J Epidemiol 1993;137 (1):49-53.
53. Yun KH, Oh SK, Park EM, Kim HJ, Shin SH, Lee EM, et al. An increased monocyte count predicts coronary artery spasm in patients with resting chest pain and insignificant coronary artery stenosis. Korean J Intern Med 2006;21(2):97-102.
54. Afiune Neto A, Mansur Ade P, Avakian SD, Gomes EP, Ramires JA. Monocytosis is an independent risk marker for coronary artery disease [in Portuguese]. Arq Bras Cardiol 2006;86(3):240-4.
55. Sweetnam PM, Thomas HF, Yarnell JW, Baker IA, Elwood PC. Total and differential leukocyte counts as predictors of ischemic heart disease: the Caerphilly and Speedwell studies. Am J Epidemiol 1997;145(5):416-21.
56. Avanzas P, Arroyo-Espliguero R, Cosin-Sales J, Aldama G, Pizzi C, Quiles J, Kaski JC. Markers of inflammation and multiple complex stenoses (pancoronary plaque vulnerability) in patients with non-ST segment elevation acute coronary syndromes. Heart 2004;90(8):847-52.
57. Wheeler JG, Mussolino ME, Gillum RF, Danesh J. Associations between differential leucocyte count and incident coronary heart disease: 1764 incident cases from seven prospective studies of 30,374 individuals. Eur Heart J 2004;25(15):1287-92.
58. Avanzas P, Quiles J, Lopez de Sa E, Sanchez A, Rubio R, Garcia E, Lopez-Sendon JL. Neutrophil count and infarct size in patients with acute myocardial infarction. Int J Cardiol 2004; 97(1):155-6.
59. Kawaguchi H, Mori T, Kawano T, Kono S, Sasaki J, Arakawa K. Band neutrophil count and the presence and severity of coronary atherosclerosis. Am Heart J 1996;132(1 Pt 1):9-12.
60. Biasucci LM, D'Onofrio G, Liuzzo G, Zini G, Monaco C, Caligiuri G, et al. Intracellular neutrophil myeloperoxidase is reduced in unstable angina and acute myocardial infarction, but its reduction is not related to ischemia. J Am Coll Cardiol 1996;27(3):611-6.
61. Ommen SR, Gibbons RJ, Hodge DO, Thomson SP. Usefulness of the lymphocyte concentration as a prognostic marker in coronary artery disease. Am J Cardiol 1997;79(6):812-4.
62. Horne BD, Anderson JL, John JM, Weaver A, Bair TL, Jensen KR, et al. Which white blood cell subtypes predict increased cardiovascular risk? J Am Coll Cardiol 2005;45(10): 1638-43.
63. Sakatani T, Hadase M, Kawasaki T, Kamitani T, Kawasaki S, Sugihara H. Usefulness of the percentage of plasma lymphocytes as a prognostic marker in patients with congestive heart failure. Jpn Heart J 2004;45(2):275-84.
64. Nasir K, Guallar E, Navas-Acien A, Criqui MH, Lima JA. Relationship of monocyte count and peripheral arterial disease: results from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999-2002. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2005;25(9):1966-71.
65. Papa A, Emdin M, Passino C, Michelassi C, Battaglia D, Cocci F. Predictive value of elevated neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio on cardiac mortality in patients with stable coronary artery disease. Clin Chim Acta 2008;395(1-2):27-31.
66. Haumer M, Amighi J, Exner M, Mlekusch W, Sabeti S, Schlager O, et al. Association of neutrophils and future cardiovascular events in patients with peripheral artery disease. J Vasc Surg 2005;41(4):610-7.
67. Nozawa N, Hibi K, Endo M, Sugano T, Ebina T, Kosuge M, et al. Association between circulating monocytes and coronary plaque progression in patients with acute myocardial infarction. Circ J 2010;74(7):1384-91.
68. Hung MJ, Kuo LT, Cheng CW, Chang CP, Cherng WJ. Comparison of peripheral monocyte counts in patients with and without coronary spasm and without fixed coronary narrowing. Am J Cardiol 2004;93(5):620-4.
69. Waterhouse DF, Cahill RA, Sheehan F, McCreery C. Prediction of calculated future cardiovascular disease by monocyte count in an asymptomatic population. Vasc Health Risk Manag 2008;4(1):177-87.
70. Loimaala A, Rontu R, Vuori I, Mercuri M, Lehtimaki T, Nenonen A, Bond MG. Blood leukocyte count is a risk factor for intima-media thickening and subclinical carotid atherosclerosis in middle-aged men. Atherosclerosis 2006;188(2):363-9.
71. Huang ZS, Jeng JS, Wang CH, Yip PK, Wu TH, Lee TK. Correlations between peripheral differential leukocyte counts and carotid atherosclerosis in non-smokers. Atherosclerosis 2001;158(2):431-6.
72. Chapman CM, Beilby JP, McQuillan BM, Thompson PL, Hung J. Monocyte count, but not C-reactive protein or interleukin-6, is an independent risk marker for subclinical carotid atherosclerosis. Stroke 2004;35(7):1619-24.
73. Gudbjartsson DF, Bjornsdottir US, Halapi E, Helgadottir A, Sulem P, Jonsdottir GM, et al. Sequence variants affecting eosinophil numbers associate with asthma and myocardial infarction. Nat Genet 2009;41(3):342-7.
74. Packard CJ, O'Reilly DS, Caslake MJ, McMahon AD, Ford I, Cooney J, et al. Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 as an independent predictor of coronary heart disease. West of Scotland Coronary Prevention Study Group. N Engl J Med 2000;343(16):1148-55.
75. Wildman RP, Muntner P, Chen J, Sutton-Tyrrell K, He J. Relation of inflammation to peripheral arterial disease in the national health and nutrition examination survey, 1999-2002. Am J Cardiol 2005;96(11):1579-83.
76. Margolis KL, Manson JE, Greenland P, Rodabough RJ, Bray PF, Safford M, et al. Leukocyte count as a predictor of cardiovascular events and mortality in postmenopausal women: the Women's Health Initiative Observational Study. Arch Intern Med 2005;165(5):500-8.
77. Ajani UA, Ford ES, McGuire LC. Distribution of lifestyle and emerging risk factors by 10-year risk for coronary heart disease. Eur J Cardiovasc Prev Rehabil 2006;13(5):745-52.
78. Palmerini T, Marzocchi A, Marrozzini C, Ortolani P, Saia F, Bacchi-Reggiani L, et al. Preprocedural levels of C-reactive protein and leukocyte counts predict 9-month mortality after coronary angioplasty for the treatment of unprotected left main coronary artery stenosis. Circulation 2005;112(15): 2332-8.
79. Rasouli M, Kiasari AM, Bagheri B. Total and differential leukocytes counts, but not hsCRP, ESR, and five fractioned serum proteins have significant potency to predict stable coronary artery disease. Clin Chim Acta 2007;377(1-2):127-32.
80. Smit JJ, Ottervanger JP, Slingerland RJ, Kolkman JJ, Suryapranata H, Hoorntje JC, et al. Comparison of usefulness of C-reactive protein versus white blood cell count to predict outcome after primary percutaneous coronary intervention for ST elevation myocardial infarction. Am J Cardiol 2008;101(4):446-51.
81. Cavusoglu E, Chopra V, Gupta A, Ruwende C, Yanamadala S, Eng C, et al. Usefulness of the white blood cell count as a predictor of angiographic findings in an unselected population referred for coronary angiography. Am J Cardiol 2006;98 (9):1189-93.
82. Kruk M, Przyluski J, Kalinczuk L, Pregowski J, Deptuch T, Kadziela J, et al. Association of non-specific inflammatory activation with early mortality in patients with ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome treated with primary angioplasty. Circ J 2008;72(2):205-11.
83. Roy D, Quiles J, Avanzas P, Arroyo-Espliguero R, Sinha M, Kaski JC. A comparative study of markers of inflammation for the assessment of cardiovascular risk in patients presenting to the emergency department with acute chest pain suggestive of acute coronary syndrome. Int J Cardiol 2006;109(3):317-21.
84. Yip HK, Wu CJ, Hang CL, Chang HW, Yang CH, Hsieh YK, et al. Levels and values of inflammatory markers in patients with angina pectoris. Int Heart J 2005;46(4):571-81.
85. Willerson JT, Ridker PM. Inflammation as a cardiovascular risk factor. Circulation 2004;109(21 Suppl 1):II2-10.
86. Bickel C, Rupprecht HJ, Blankenberg S, Espiniola-Klein C, Schlitt A, Rippin G, et al. Relation of markers of inflammation (C-reactive protein, fibrinogen, von Willebrand factor, and leukocyte count) and statin therapy to long-term mortality in patients with angiographically proven coronary artery disease. Am J Cardiol 2002;89(8):901-8.
87. Bickel C, Rupprecht HJ, Blankenberg S, Espinola-Klein C, Rippin G, Hafner G, et al. Influence of HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors on markers of coagulation, systemic inflammation and soluble cell adhesion. Int J Cardiol 2002;82(1):25-31.
88. Schillinger M, Exner M, Mlekusch W, Amighi J, Sabeti S, Muellner M, et al. Statin therapy improves cardiovascular outcome of patients with peripheral artery disease. Eur Heart J 2004;25(9):742-8.
89. Tani S, Nagao K, Anazawa T, Kawamata H, Iida K, Matsumoto M, et al. Association of circulating leukocyte count with coronary atherosclerosis regression after pravastatin treatment. Atherosclerosis 2008;198(2):360-5.
90. Stewart RA, White HD, Kirby AC, Heritier SR, Simes RJ, Nestel PJ, et al. White blood cell count predicts reduction in coronary heart disease mortality with pravastatin. Circulation 2005;111(14):1756-62.
91. Ronnow BS, Muhlestein JB, Carlquist JF, Renlund DG, Lappe DL, Thomas H, et al. A complete blood count-derived risk score greatly improves predictive ability for mortality [abstract 854-7]. J Am Coll Cardiol 2005;45(3 Suppl A):435A.
92. Gibson PH, Croal BL, Cuthbertson BH, Small GR, Ifezulike AI, Gibson G, et al. Preoperative neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio and outcome from coronary artery bypass grafting. Am Heart J 2007;154(5):995-1002.
93. Spencer CG, Felmeden DC, Blann AD, Lip GY. Haemorheological, platelet and endothelial indices in relation to global measures of cardiovascular risk in hypertensive patients: a substudy of the Anglo-Scandinavian Cardiac Outcomes Trial. J Intern Med 2007;261(1):82-90.
94. Anderson JL, Ronnow BS, Horne BD, Carlquist JF, May HT, Bair TL, et al. Usefulness of a complete blood count-derived risk score to predict incident mortality in patients with suspected cardiovascular disease. Am J Cardiol 2007;99(2):169-74.
95. Danesh J, Collins R, Peto R, Lowe GD. Haematocrit, viscosity, erythrocyte sedimentation rate: meta-analyses of prospective studies of coronary heart disease. Eur Heart J 2000;21(7): 515-20.
96. Michiels JJ. Erythromelalgia and vascular complications in polycythemia vera. Semin Thromb Hemost 1997;23(5):441-54.
97. Puddu PE, Lanti M, Menotti A, Mancini M, Zanchetti A, Cirillo M, et al. Red blood cell count in short-term prediction of cardiovascular disease incidence in the Gubbio population study. Acta Cardiol 2002;57(3):177-85.
98. Schlant RC, Forman S, Stamler J, Canner PL. The natural history of coronary heart disease: prognostic factors after recovery from myocardial infarction in 2789 men. The 5-year findings of the coronary drug project. Circulation 1982;66 (2):401-14.
99. Lowe GD, Machado SG, Krol WF, Barton BA, Forbes CD. White blood cell count and haematocrit as predictors of coronary recurrence after myocardial infarction. Thromb Haemost 1985;54(3):700-3.
100. Smith FB, Rumley A, Lee AJ, Leng GC, Fowkes FG, Lowe GD. Haemostatic factors and prediction of ischaemic heart disease and stroke in claudicants. Br J Haematol 1998;100(4): 758-63.
101. Cullen KJ, Stenhouse NS, Wearne KL. Raised haemoglobin and risk of cardiovascular disease. Lancet 1981;2(8258):1288-9.
102. Sorlie PD, Garcia-Palmieri MR, Costas R Jr, Havlik RJ. Hematocrit and risk of coronary heart disease: the Puerto Rico Health Program. Am Heart J 1981;101(4):456-61.
103. Carter C, McGee D, Reed D, Yano K, Stemmermann G. Hematocrit and the risk of coronary heart disease: the Honolulu Heart Program. Am Heart J 1983;105(4):674-9.
104. Schatzkin A, Cupples LA, Heeren T, Morelock S, Kannel WB. Sudden death in the Framingham Heart Study. Differences in incidence and risk factors by sex and coronary disease status. Am J Epidemiol 1984;120(6):888-99.
105. Kannel WB, Anderson K, Wilson PW. White blood cell count and cardiovascular disease. Insights from the Framingham Study. JAMA 1992;267(9):1253-6.
106. Erikssen G, Thaulow E, Sandvik L, Stormorken H, Erikssen J. Haematocrit: a predictor of cardiovascular mortality? J Intern Med 1993;234(5):493-9.
107. Gagnon DR, Zhang TJ, Brand FN, Kannel WB. Hematocrit and the risk of cardiovascular disease--the Framingham study: a 34-year follow-up. Am Heart J 1994;127(3):674-82.
108. Wannamethee G, Shaper AG, Whincup PH. Ischaemic heart disease: association with haematocrit in the British Regional Heart Study. J Epidemiol Community Health 1994;48(2): 112-8.
109. Brown DW, Giles WH, Croft JB. Hematocrit and the risk of coronary heart disease mortality. Am Heart J 2001;142(4): 657-63.
110. Abu-Zeid HA, Chapman JM. Hemoglobin level and ischemic heart disease: relationship to known risk factors. Prev Med 1977;6(1):120-9.
111. Lowe GD, Lee AJ, Rumley A, Price JF, Fowkes FG. Blood viscosity and risk of cardiovascular events: the Edinburgh Artery Study. Br J Haematol 1997;96(1):168-73.
112. Kenyeres P, Juricskay I, Tarsoly P, Kesmarky G, Muhl D, Toth K, Bogar L. Low hematocrit per blood viscosity ratio as a mortality risk factor in coronary heart disease. Clin Hemorheol Microcirc 2008;38(1):51-6.
113. Rao SV, Jollis JG, Harrington RA, Granger CB, Newby LK, Armstrong PW, et al. Relationship of blood transfusion and clinical outcomes in patients with acute coronary syndromes. JAMA 2004;292(13):1555-62.
114. Wu WC, Rathore SS, Wang Y, Radford MJ, Krumholz HM. Blood transfusion in elderly patients with acute myocardial infarction. N Engl J Med 2001;345(17):1230-6.
115. Hebert PC, Yetisir E, Martin C, Blajchman MA, Wells G, Marshall J, et al. Is a low transfusion threshold safe in critically ill patients with cardiovascular diseases? Crit Care Med 2001;29(2):227-34.
116. Fortune JB, Feustel PJ, Saifi J, Stratton HH, Newell JC, Shah DM. Influence of hematocrit on cardiopulmonary function after acute hemorrhage. J Trauma 1987;27(3):243-9.
117. Johnson RG, Thurer RL, Kruskall MS, Sirois C, Gervino EV, Critchlow J, Weintraub RM. Comparison of two transfusion strategies after elective operations for myocardial revascularization. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 1992;104(2):307-14.
118. Bush RL, Pevec WC, Holcroft JW. A prospective, randomized trial limiting perioperative red blood cell transfusions in vascular patients. Am J Surg 1997;174(2):143-8.
119. Rogers MA, Blumberg N, Saint SK, Kim C, Nallamothu BK, Langa KM. Allogeneic blood transfusions explain increased mortality in women after coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Am Heart J 2006;152(6):1028-34.
120. Alexander KP, Chen AY, Wang TY, Rao SV, Newby LK, LaPointe NM, et al. Transfusion practice and outcomes in non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndromes. Am Heart J 2008;155(6):1047-53.
121. Perlstein TS, Weuve J, Pfeffer MA, Beckman JA. Red blood cell distribution width and mortality risk in a community-based prospective cohort. Arch Intern Med 2009;169(6):588-94.
122. Patel KV, Ferrucci L, Ershler WB, Longo DL, Guralnik JM. Red blood cell distribution width and the risk of death in middleaged and older adults. Arch Intern Med 2009;169(5):515-23.
123. Tonelli M, Sacks F, Arnold M, Moye L, Davis B, Pfeffer M. Relation between red blood cell distribution width and cardiovascular event rate in people with coronary disease. Circulation 2008;117(2):163-8.
124. Ani C, Ovbiagele B. Elevated red blood cell distribution width predicts mortality in persons with known stroke. J Neurol Sci 2009;277(1-2):103-8.
125. Cavusoglu E, Chopra V, Gupta A, Battala VR, Poludasu S, Eng C, Marmur JD. Relation between red blood cell distribution width (RDW) and all-cause mortality at two years in an unselected population referred for coronary angiography. Int J Cardiol 2010;141(2):141-6.
126. Nayha S. Normal variation in erythrocyte sedimentation rate in males over 50 years old. Scand J Prim Health Care 1987;5 (1):5-8.
127. Hanger HC, Sainsbury R, Gilchrist NL, Beard ME. Erythrocyte sedimentation rates in the elderly: a community study. N Z Med J 1991;104(909):134-6.
128. Erikssen G, Liestol K, Bjornholt JV, Stormorken H, Thaulow E, Erikssen J. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate: a possible marker of atherosclerosis and a strong predictor of coro-nary heart disease mortality. Eur Heart J 2000;21(19):1614-20.
129. Natali A, L'Abbate A, Ferrannini E. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate, coronary atherosclerosis, and cardiac mortality. Eur Heart J 2003;24(7):639-48.
130. Froom P, Margaliot S, Caine Y, Benbassat J. Significance of erythrocyte sedimentation rate in young adults. Am J Clin Pathol 1984;82(2):198-200.
131. Kirkeby OJ, Risoe C, Vikland R. Significance of a high erythrocyte sedimentation rate in general practice. Br J Clin Pract 1989;43(7):252-4.
132. Carlson LA, Bottiger LE. Risk factors for ischaemic heart disease in men and women. Results of the 19-year follow-up of the Stockholm Prospective Study. Acta Med Scand 1985;218 (2):207-11.
133. Thaulow E, Erikssen J, Sandvik L, Stormorken H, Cohn PF. Blood platelet count and function are related to total and cardiovascular death in apparently healthy men. Circulation 1991;84(2):613-7.
134. D'Erasmo E, Aliberti G, Celi FS, Romagnoli E, Vecci E, Mazzuoli GF. Platelet count, mean platelet volume and their relation to prognosis in cerebral infarction. J Intern Med 1990; 227(1):11-4.
135. Kilicli-Camur N, Demirtunc R, Konuralp C, Eskiser A, Basaran Y. Could mean platelet volume be a predictive marker for acute myocardial infarction? Med Sci Monit 2005;11(8): CR387-92.
136. Meade TW, Cooper JA, Miller GJ. Platelet counts and aggregation measures in the incidence of ischaemic heart disease (IHD). Thromb Haemost 1997;78(2):926-9.
137. Khandekar MM, Khurana AS, Deshmukh SD, Kakrani AL, Katdare AD, Inamdar AK. Platelet volume indices in patients with coronary artery disease and acute myocardial infarction: an Indian scenario. J Clin Pathol 2006;59(2):146-9.
138. Raffel OC, Tearney GJ, Gauthier DD, Halpern EF, Bouma BE, Jang IK. Relationship between a systemic inflammatory marker, plaque inflammation, and plaque characteristics determined by intravascular optical coherence tomography. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2007;27(8):1820-7.
139. Weissmann G, Smolen JE, Korchak HM. Release of inflammatory mediators from stimulated neutrophils. N Engl J Med 1980;303(1):27-34.
140. Sacks T, Moldow CF, Craddock PR, Bowers TK, Jacob HS. Oxygen radicals mediate endothelial cell damage by complement-stimulated granulocytes. An in vitro model of immune vascular damage. J Clin Invest 1978;61(5):1161-7.
141. Harlan JM, Killen PD, Harker LA, Striker GE, Wright DG. Neutrophil-mediated endothelial injury in vitro mechanisms of cell detachment. J Clin Invest 1981;68(6):1394-403.
142. Mehta J, Dinerman J, Mehta P, Saldeen TG, Lawson D, Donnelly WH, Wallin R. Neutrophil function in ischemic heart disease. Circulation 1989;79(3):549-56.
143. Ludwig PW, Hunninghake DB, Hoidal JR. Increased leucocyte oxidative metabolism in hyperlipoproteinaemia. Lancet 1982;2(8294):348-50.
144. Ricevuti G, Mazzone A, De Servi S, Specchia G, Fratino P. New trends in coronary artery disease: the role of granulocyte activation. Atherosclerosis 1989;78(2-3):261-5.
145. Stenqvist O, Bagge U, Nilsson K. The tracheal mucosa microvasculature and microcirculation. Intravital microscopic observations in rabbits and a histologic study in man. Acta Otolaryngol 1979;87(1-2):123-8.
146. Craddock PR, Hammerschmidt D, White JG, Dalmosso AP, Jacob HS. Complement (C5-a)-induced granulocyte aggregation in vitro. A possible mechanism of complement-mediated leukostasis and leukopenia. J Clin Invest 1977;60(1):260-4.
147. Shoenfeld Y, Pinkhas J. Leukopenia and low incidence of myocardial infarction. N Engl J Med 1981;304(26):1606.
148. Neumann FJ, Ott I, Marx N, Luther T, Kenngott S, Gawaz M, et al. Effect of human recombinant interleukin-6 and interleukin-8 on monocyte procoagulant activity. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 1997;17(12):3399-405.
149. Ogawa Y, Imaki M, Yoshida Y, Shibakawa M, Tanada S. An epidemiological study on the association between the total leukocyte and neutrophil counts, and risk factors of ischemic heart disease by smoking status in Japanese factory workers. Appl Human Sci 1998;17(6):239-47.
150. Nieto FJ, Szklo M, Folsom AR, Rock R, Mercuri M. Leukocyte count correlates in middle-aged adults: the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study. Am J Epidemiol 1992;136(5):525-37.
151. Capuano V, Lamaida N, De Martino M, Mazzotta G. Association between white blood cell count and risk factors of coronary artery disease. G Ital Cardiol 1995;25(9):1145-52.
152. Bovill EG, Bild DE, Heiss G, Kuller LH, Lee MH, Rock R, Wahl PW. White blood cell counts in persons aged 65 years or more from the Cardiovascular Health Study. Correlations with baseline clinical and demographic characteristics. Am J Epidemiol 1996;143(11):1107-15.
153. Nakanishi N, Sato M, Shirai K, Nakajima K, Murakami S, Takatorige T, et al. Associations between white blood cell count and features of the metabolic syndrome in Japanese male office workers. Ind Health 2002;40(3):273-7.
154. Nilsson G, Hedberg P, Jonason T, Lonnberg I, Tenerz A, Ohrvik J. White blood cell counts associate more strongly to the metabolic syndrome in 75-year-old women than in men: a population based study. Metab Syndr Relat Disord 2007;5(4):359-64.
155. Tong PC, Lee KF, So WY, Ng MH, Chan WB, Lo MK, et al. White blood cell count is associated with macro-and microvascular complications in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care 2004;27(1):216-22.
156. Diacovo TG, Roth SJ, Buccola JM, Bainton DF, Springer TA. Neutrophil rolling, arrest, and transmigration across activated, surface-adherent platelets via sequential action of P-selectin and the beta 2-integrin CD11b/CD18. Blood 1996;88(1): 146-57.
157. Maisel AS, Gilpin EA, LeWinter M, Henning H, Ross J Jr, Engler R. Initial leukocyte count during acute myocardial infarction independently predicts early ventricular fibrillation [abstract]. Circulation 1985;72(Suppl 3):III-414.
158. de Gaetano G, Cerletti C, Evangelista V. Recent advances in platelet-polymorphonuclear leukocyte interaction. Haemostasis 1999;29(1):41-9.
159. Reizenstein P. The haematological stress syndrome. Br J Haematol 1979;43(3):329-34.
160. Masuda M, Takahashi H. Adhesion of leukocytes to endothelial cells in atherosclerosis [in Japanese]. Rinsho Byori 1998; 46(11):1149-55.
161. Turner SJ, Ketch TR, Gandhi SK, Sane DC. Routine hematologic clinical tests as prognostic markers in patients with acute coronary syndromes. Am Heart J 2008;155(5):806-16.
162. Turitto VT, Weiss HJ. Red blood cells: their dual role in thrombus formation. Science 1980;207(4430):541-3.
163. Lowe GD, Forbes CD. Platelet aggregation, haematocrit, and fibrinogen. Lancet 1985;1(8425):395-6.
164. Hellem AJ, Borchgrevink CF, Ames SB. The role of red cells in haemostasis: the relation between haematocrit, bleeding time and platelet adhesiveness. Br J Haematol 1961;7:42-50.
165. Berliner S, Rogowski O, Aharonov S, Mardi T, Tolshinsky T, Rozenblat M, et al. Erythrocyte adhesiveness/aggregation: a novel biomarker for the detection of low-grade internal inflammation in individuals with atherothrombotic risk factors and proven vascular disease. Am Heart J 2005;149(2):260-7.
166. Elwood PC, Sweetnam P, Welsby E, Mahler R, Moore F. Association between circulating haemoglobin level, serum-cholesterol, and blood-pressure. Lancet 1970;1(7647):589-90.
167. Bottiger LE, Carlson LA. Relation between serum cholesterol and triglyceride concentration and haemoglobin values in non-anaemic healthy persons. Br Med J 1972;3(5829):731-3.
168. Pasterkamp G, Virmani R. The erythrocyte: a new player in atheromatous core formation. Heart 2002;88(2):115-6.
169. Kolodgie FD, Gold HK, Burke AP, Fowler DR, Kruth HS, Weber DK, et al. Intraplaque hemorrhage and progression of coronary atheroma. N Engl J Med 2003;349(24):2316-25.
170. Sun Q, Ma J, Campos H, Hankinson SE, Manson JE, Stampfer MJ, et al. A prospective study of trans fatty acids in erythrocytes and risk of coronary heart disease. Circulation 2007; 115(14):1858-65.
171. Tziakas DN, Kaski JC, Chalikias GK, Romero C, Fredericks S, Tentes IK, et al. Total cholesterol content of erythrocyte membranes is increased in patients with acute coronary syndrome: a new marker of clinical instability? J Am Coll Cardiol 2007;49(21):2081-9.
172. Libby P, Simon DI. Inflammation and thrombosis: the clot thickens. Circulation 2001;103(13):1718-20.
173. de Gaetano G, Evangelista V, Cerletti C. Should cardiologists forget about platelets and take an interest in blood leukocytes? Ital Heart J 2000;1(7):453-6.
174. Tousoulis D, Davies G, Stefanadis C, Toutouzas P, Ambrose JA. Inflammatory and thrombotic mechanisms in coronary atherosclerosis. Heart 2003;89(9):993-7.
175. Chirkov YY, Holmes AS, Willoughby SR, Stewart S, Wuttke RD, Sage PR, Horowitz JD. Stable angina and acute coronary syndromes are associated with nitric oxide resistance in platelets. J Am Coll Cardiol 2001;37(7):1851-7.
176. Davi G, Patrono C. Platelet activation and atherothrombosis. N Engl J Med 2007;357(24):2482-94.
177. Sarma J, Laan CA, Alam S, Jha A, Fox KA, Dransfield I. Increased platelet binding to circulating monocytes in acute coronary syndromes. Circulation 2002;105(18):2166-71.
178. Keating FK, Whitaker DA, Kabbani SS, Ricci MA, Sobel BE, Schneider DJ. Relation of augmented platelet reactivity to the magnitude of distribution of atherosclerosis. Am J Cardiol 2004;94(6):725-8.
179. Schonbeck U, Varo N, Libby P, Buring J, Ridker PM. Soluble CD40L and cardiovascular risk in women. Circulation 2001;104(19):2266-8.
180. Ridker PM, Danielson E, Fonseca FA, Genest J, Gotto AM Jr, Kastelein JJ, et al. Rosuvastatin to prevent vascular events in men and women with elevated C-reactive protein. N Engl J Med 2008;359(21):2195-207.