WBC and MI

Q: White blood cell (WBC) count after an acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction (MI) correlate with mortality? 

A) True

B) False

Answer: A

Relatively less highlighted, but high WBC count correlates with short- and long-term mortality after an acute ST elevation MI. A high WBC count is a marker of inflammation and predicts the extent of infarction. The higher the WBC count, the higher the risk of 30 days mortality, especially in older patients. 

This risk becomes significant once the WBC count goes above 15,000/µL. Unfortunately, this risk persists for months, depending on the WBC count at the time of the event.

#cardiology

References:

1. Madjid M, Awan I, Willerson JT, Casscells SW. Leukocyte count and coronary heart disease: implications for risk assessment. J Am Coll Cardiol 2004; 44:1945.

2. Cannon CP, McCabe CH, Wilcox RG, et al. Association of white blood cell count with increased mortality in acute myocardial infarction and unstable angina pectoris. OPUS-TIMI 16 Investigators. Am J Cardiol 2001; 87:636.

3. Barron HV, Harr SD, Radford MJ, et al. The association between white blood cell count and acute myocardial infarction mortality in patients > or =65 years of age: findings from the cooperative cardiovascular project. J Am Coll Cardiol 2001; 38:1654.

4. Patel MR, Mahaffey KW, Armstrong PW, et al. Prognostic usefulness of white blood cell count and temperature in acute myocardial infarction (from the CARDINAL Trial). Am J Cardiol 2005; 95:614.