Association of Smoking Intensity with Total and Differential Leukocyte Counts in Healthy Adult Men: A Cross-Sectional Study
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Background: Cigarette smoking is associated with systemic inflammation and increased circulating leukocyte counts, but the magnitude and cell-specific pattern of these changes across smoking intensity are incompletely characterized in healthy Bangladeshi men. Methods: This cross-sectional comparative analysis included 200 healthy men aged 18-60 years (100 current cigarette smokers and 100 age-matched non-smokers) recruited in Sylhet, Bangladesh. Total and differential leukocyte counts were measured using an automated hematology analyzer. Smoking exposure was quantified as pack-years and categorized as mild (0.1-5), moderate (6-15), or severe (>15). Original analyses used independent-samples t tests and one-way ANOVA. For this manuscript, mean differences, 95% confidence intervals (CIs), Hedges g, and ANOVA effect-size estimates were additionally calculated from the available group-level summary data. Results: Smokers had higher total WBC (9.20 +/- 2.70 vs 7.48 +/- 2.04 x10^3/uL; p<0.001; Hedges g=0.72), neutrophil (5.60 +/- 2.24 vs 4.25 +/- 1.51; p<0.001; g=0.70), lymphocyte (2.90 +/- 1.01 vs 2.54 +/- 0.83; p=0.006), and basophil counts (0.022 +/- 0.019 vs 0.015 +/- 0.009; p=0.001). Eosinophil and monocyte counts did not differ significantly. Across mild, moderate, and severe smokers, total WBC, neutrophil, lymphocyte, and monocyte counts differed significantly (all p<0.001); the strongest gradients were observed for total WBC and neutrophils. Conclusion: Current smoking was associated with a distinct leukocyte pattern dominated by higher total WBC and neutrophil counts. The graded differences across pack-year categories support a smoking-exposure association with systemic leukocyte responses, although the cross-sectional design and absence of multivariable individual-level reanalysis preclude causal inference.
Source: Barind Medical College Journal
Language: English
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W7204176084