Background: Leukocyte count is a prognostic marker for cardiovascular diseases, with key role in atherosclerosis development. Specific number of neutrophils, lymphocytes and monocytes can predict cardiovascular risk, also in asymptomatic subjects. Among the lipoprotein fractions, HDL-C is a protective factor in the cardiovascular disorders. For the above reason, we have examined the peripheral count of leukocytes, neutrophils, lymphocytes and monocytes, and the ratios between neutrophils/HDL-cholesterol, lymphocytes/HDL-cholesterol, and monocytes/HDL-cholesterol, to evaluate the possible utility of the obtained values in progression of asymptomatic carotid atherosclerosis.
Methods: We performed our analysis in a cohort of 100 subjects with asymptomatic carotid atherosclerosis, of which 43 men and 57 women. The data were expressed as medians and IQR. To analyse the differences in leukocyte, neutrophil, lymphocyte, monocytes count and their ratio with HDL-cholesterol the Mann-Whitney test was employed.
Results: The peripheral count of leukocyte subtypes and the ratios, they change in relation to the number of cardiovascular risk factors and the degree of insulin resistance.
Conclusions: In this cohort of subjects, the percentage of observed cardiovascular risk factors significantly affect some leukocyte parameters. These results, allow us to underline the importance of the leukocyte indices in the evaluation of subjects with asymptomatic vascular atherosclerosis.
Keywords: HDL-Cholesterol; Leukocyte count; lymphocytes; monocytes; neutrophils.