HypertensionCohort study
White Blood Cells and Blood Pressure
- Observational study and Mendelian randomization analysis
- UK Biobank
- inverse-variance weighted Mendelian randomization (MR)
- 121 SNPs
- bidirectional MR
Authors' conclusion
Observational and genetic analyses demonstrate a concordant, positive and potentially causal relationship of lymphocyte count with systolic BP and diastolic BP.
Study context
- Population
- UK Biobank population; MR using ≈750,000 UK-Biobank/ICBP-GWAS participantsUK-Biobank/ICBP-GWAS
- Participants
- ≈750,000 participants
- Exposure
- Quintiles of WBC counts (lymphocyte, monocyte, neutrophil) and blood pressure (BP); genetically elevated lymphocyte count and BP
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Adjusted SBP by quintile of leukocyte count
1st quintile
140.13±0.08
Lymphocyte · Monocyte 139.51±0.08 · Neutrophil 137.96±0.08
5th quintile
141.62±0.07
Lymphocyte · Monocyte 141.84±0.07 · Neutrophil 142.71±0.07
- SBP; inverse-variance weighted MR
- causal estimate (per 1 SD) 0.69 mm Hg (95% CI 0.19–1.20)
- DBP; inverse-variance weighted MR
- causal estimate (per 1 SD) 0.56 mm Hg (95% CI 0.23–0.90)
- Positive association of lymphocyte, monocyte and neutrophil count quintiles with SBP, DBP and pulse pressure
- all P<10-50
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Exclusion of rs3184504 SNP (SH2B3 locus)
- Attenuated the signal in some MR analyses
Reverse-direction MR (BP on leukocyte counts)
- Positive effects of BP indices on monocyte, neutrophil and eosinophil counts, not lymphocytes or basophils
Lymphocyte count and urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio
- Positive association of lymphocyte count with urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio
Original publication
White Blood Cells and Blood Pressure. Circulation. Published 9 March 2020. doi:10.1161/circulationaha.119.045102
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it