Associations of White Blood Cell, Platelet Count, Platelet-to-White Blood Cell Ratio with Muscle Mass among Community-Dwelling Older Adults in China

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the relationships of white blood cell (WBC) count, platelet (PLT) count, and PLT-to-WBC ratio (PWR) with muscle mass in Chinese older adults.

Methods: This cross-sectional analysis involved 4,033 Chinese older adults aged ≥ 65 years from the Healthy Ageing and Biomarkers Cohort Study. Muscle mass and total skeletal muscle mass index (TSMI) were measured by bioelectric impedance analysis. WBC, PLT, and PWR were measured using standard methods. Multivariate linear regression was used to examine the associations of WBC count, PLT count, and PWR with TSMI.

Results: High WBC count, PLT count, and PWR were associated with low TSMI, with coefficients of -0.0091 (95% confidence interval [ CI]: -0.0142 to -0.0041), -0.0119 (95% CI: -0.0170 to -0.0068), and -0.0051 (95% CI: -0.0102 to -0.0001). The associations between the three inflammatory indices and TSMI were linear. Stratified analyses indicated that the relationship between inflammatory markers and TSMI was more evident in male participants and in individuals aged < 80 years than in their counterparts.

Conclusion: Elevated WBC count, PLT count, and PWR correlated with muscle mass loss. This study highlights the importance of regular monitoring of inflammatory markers as a potential strategy for the screening and management of sarcopenia in older adults.

Keywords: Muscle mass; Older adults; Platelet; Platelet to white blood cell ratio; White blood cell count.