Objective: Inflammation involved in the etiology of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) has been shown in majority of studies. However, the role of systemic inflammation in LUTS has not been firmly established. Thus, the current study was to examine the association between peripheral total and differential white blood cells count (WBCs), an important systemic inflammation marker, and LUTS in a large-scale Chinese male population.
Methods: A population-based cross-sectional study of male heath among people aged 18-88 years had been set up from July 2011 to November 2011 in Fangchenggang, Guangxi, China. In current study, 4,694 participants were included. Total WBCs and differential count were measured with an automated hematology analyzer and LUTS were assessed by International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS). Meanwhile, potential confounding covariates were also included. Multivariate logistic regression model was used to assess the association between total WBCs and differential count and LUTS.
Results: Comparing with none/mild LUTS, the average of total WBCs and neutrophil count was much higher in moderate/severe LUTS (P<0.001). Men who had higher total WBCs and neutrophil count levels were more likely to report overall LUTS and obstructive symptoms, as for individual symptoms of LUTS, primarily showed as intermittency and urgency symptoms. Besides, statistically significant associations were presented between neutrophil count and irritative symptoms (OR =1.49, 95% CI, 1.08-2.05) and weak stream symptom (OR =1.93, 95% CI, 1.13-3.29), when comparing them from the 1st to 4th neutrophil count quartiles. All above associations were independent of potential confounding variables. Additionally, we also observed that the risk factors of LUTS included age, hypertension, education, diabetes mellitus and alcohol drinking.
Conclusions: The current study firstly showed that LUTS was positively associated with total WBCs and differential neutrophil count, and many factors contributed to the risk of LUTS. These findings support the hypothesis that inflammation may be involved in the mechanism of LUTS.
