Leukocyte Count, Smoking, and Myocardial Infarction

THE original report by Friedman and his co-workers 1 that the leukocyte count is a predictor of myocardial infarction independent of established risk factors did not carefully control for the one risk factor that is closely associated with the leukocyte count: cigarette smoking. 2 , 3 Since this article appeared in 1974, no further study of the subject has been published. The Paris Prospective Study, which has followed over 7000 male employees of a branch of the Paris city government for an average of 6.5 years after an initial examination, includes among its various goals the study in depth of the relation between smoking . . .