Elevated Peripheral White Blood Cell Count and Lower Urinary Tract Symptom Risk: A Population-Based Cross-Sectional Study of Chinese Men

Objective: To investigate the association between peripheral white blood cell (WBC) count and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in a male population. Study Design and Setting: A population-based cross-sectional survey was conducted among males aged 18– 88 years in Fangchenggang, Guangxi, China, from July to November 2011. Using multistage cluster sampling, 4,694 participants were enrolled. Multivariable logistic regression models assessed the WBC-LUTS association. Results: The prevalence of moderate/severe LUTS was 6.67%. Compared to men with none/mild LUTS, those with moderate/severe LUTS had significantly higher mean WBC counts ( P < 0.01). Elevated WBC levels were independently associated with increased risks of overall LUTS (OR=1.93; 95% CI: 1.40– 2.66) and voiding symptoms (OR=1.68; 95% CI: 1.19– 2.35) after adjusting for confounders. Specifically, higher WBC quartiles (Q3–Q4) showed significantly greater prevalence of intermittency and urgency versus the lowest quartile (Q1). Additional risk factors for LUTS included age, hypertension, lower education, diabetes mellitus, and alcohol consumption. Conclusion: LUTS severity positively correlates with peripheral WBC counts, suggesting systemic inflammation may contribute to LUTS pathogenesis. Keywords: lower urinary tract symptoms, systemic inflammation, voiding symptoms, storage symptoms, epidemiology, cross-sectional study