Adherence to the Mediterranean diet is associated with lower platelet and leukocyte counts: results from the Moli-sani study

Abstract

Key Points• Adherence to a Mediterranean diet is associated with reduced platelet and leukocyte counts.• The observed associations are partially explained by the high dietary fiber and antioxidant content of the Mediterranean diet.Platelet (PLT) and white blood cell (WBC) counts are 2 markers of inflammation and have been linked to the risk for cerebrovascular and coronary heart disease. A Mediterranean diet (MD) has been associated with reduced inflammation and mortality for major chronic diseases. We aimed at evaluating the association between the MD and both PLT and WBC counts. This cross-sectional analysis in a population-based cohort study included 14 586 healthy Italian citizens enrolled within the Moli-sani study. Adherence to MD was appraised by either the MD Score (MDS) or the Italian Mediterranean Index (IMI). PLT and WBC counts were both inversely related to MD adherence (MDS: P < .0001 and P 5 .008, respectively). As compared with those with poorer MD adherence, subjects with greater adherence had both reduced odds of being in the highest PLT-count group (MDS: odds ratio 5 0.50; 95% confidence interval, 0.31-0.80) and increased odds of being in the lowest WBC-count group (IMI: odds ratio 5 1.41; 95% confidence interval, 1.07-1.86). The association between WBC count and MDS disappeared when further adjusted for PLT count, whereas the association between PLT count and the MD was not affected by adjustment for WBCs. Food antioxidant and dietary fiber content modified the inverse association between MDS and WBC count and partially accounted for the association with PLTs.

Causes of Variation in The Neutrophil–Lymphocyte and Platelet–Lymphocyte Ratios: a Twin-Family Study

“…A positive association between BMI and NLR has been found before [8,9] and obesity is often considered to be associated with a chronic state of inflammation [41]. Dietary habits may also influence both platelet and leukocyte counts [42]. The greater influence of BMI at younger ages points to the importance of weight control in early life.…”

A score of low-grade inflammation and risk of mortality: prospective findings from the Moli-sani study

“…6,[13][14][15][16] More recently, a pro-inflammatory action of blood platelets has been proposed, 17 whereas the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio better expresses an early inflammatory cellular response. 18,19 Evidence of the individual contribution of each of the above mentioned inflammatory biomarkers to different health outcomes is scarce.…”

“…18,19 Evidence of the individual contribution of each of the above mentioned inflammatory biomarkers to different health outcomes is scarce. 7,14,17 Previous data suggest that some inflammation biomarkers are associated with lifestyle modifications (e.g. dietary habits 17 ) or electrocardiographic parameters, 19 emphasizing the need for further study on their association with clinical outcomes, such as the incidence of chronic degenerative disease and mortality rates.…”

“…7,14,17 Previous data suggest that some inflammation biomarkers are associated with lifestyle modifications (e.g. dietary habits 17 ) or electrocardiographic parameters, 19 emphasizing the need for further study on their association with clinical outcomes, such as the incidence of chronic degenerative disease and mortality rates. In this context, a comprehensive approach to measure a low-grade inflammation condition has been proposed in high cardiovascular risk subjects.…”

Higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet is associated with lower levels of D-dimer: findings from the MOLI-SANI study

“…5,7,8 For the present study, individuals from the MOLI-SANI cohort reporting at baseline a personal history of cancer or cardiovascular disease (CVD), those for whom there were no data on D-dimer (10.3%) or C-reactive protein (CRP), or reporting CRP protein more than 10 mg/dL (4.0%), or unreliable dietary or medical questionnaires were excluded from the analysis. The final sample was made up of 17,403 subjects (47% men, mean age 54±11 years).…”