White Blood Cells and Blood Pressure: A Mendelian Randomization Study
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; Mendelian randomization (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
- Outcome
- Adjusted SBP by quintile of leukocyte count
Methodological detailsUK Biobank, inverse-variance weighted MR, 121 SNPs, bidirectional MR
- UK Biobank
- Inverse-variance weighted MR
- 121 SNPs
- Bidirectional MR
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Causal estimate (per 1 SD)
0.69 mm Hg
95% CI 0.19–1.20
SBP; inverse-variance weighted MR
Causal estimate (per 1 SD)
0.56 mm Hg
95% CI 0.23–0.90
DBP; inverse-variance weighted MR
1st quintile
- Lymphocyte
- 140.13±0.08
- Monocyte
- 139.51±0.08
- Neutrophil
- 137.96±0.08
5th quintile
- Lymphocyte
- 141.62±0.07
- Monocyte
- 141.84±0.07
- Neutrophil
- 142.71±0.07
Lymphocyte
1st quintile140.13±0.08
5th quintile141.62±0.07
Monocyte
1st quintile139.51±0.08
5th quintile141.84±0.07
Neutrophil
1st quintile137.96±0.08
5th quintile142.71±0.07
- 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: A Mendelian Randomization Study. Circulation. Published 9 March 2020. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →