Association Between White Blood Cell Count, Epicardial Blood Flow, Myocardial Perfusion, and Clinical Outcomes in the Setting of Acute Myocardial Infarction

Abstract

Elevation in WBC count was associated with reduced epicardial blood flow and myocardial perfusion, thromboresistance (arteries open later and have a greater thrombus burden), and a higher incidence of new congestive heart failure and death. These observations provide a potential explanation for the higher mortality rate observed among AMI patients with elevated WBC counts and helps explain the growing body of literature that links inflammation and cardiovascular disease.

Effect of statins and white blood cell count on mortality in patients with ischemic left ventricular dysfunction undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention

“…6,7 It is also known that patients with elevated white blood cell (WBC) counts on admission for acute MI have worse survival than patients with normal WBC counts. 8,9 Previous studies on patients with normal LV function have shown that statins may reduce inflammation 10,11 and improve survival in patients with inflammation. 12,13 While statins have been shown to reduce LV mass 14 and improve LV function in animals, 15 we hypothesize that the anti-inflammatory effects of statin therapy may provide additional improvement in survival for patients with LV dysfunction and an elevated WBC count.…”

Relationship of admission hematological indexes with myocardial reperfusion abnormalities in acute ST segment elevation myocardial infarction patients treated with primary percutaneous coronary interventions

“…The white blood cell (WBC) count on admission was shown to be a strong and independent predictor of increased morbidity and mortality in patients with acute myocardial infarction (12). Moreover, Barron et al (12) reported that elevated WBC count was associated with reduced epicardial and myocardial blood flow in patients with acute STEMI who were treated with fibrinolytic therapy.…”

Monocitose é um marcador de risco independente para a doença arterial coronariana

“…Later, multi-center studies showed that an increased number of white blood cells was associated with higher mortality, more serious atherosclerosis and a lower response to fibrinolytic treatment [4][5][6] . Despite the important role of leukocytes in atherosclerosis, particularly acute coronary syndrome, little is known about the prevalence of the white blood cell count elements in CAD, particularly monocytes.…”