{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,17]],"date-time":"2026-09-17T21:59:50Z","timestamp":1789682390893,"version":"4.0.1"},"reference-count":50,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"22","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2023,11,11]],"date-time":"2023-11-11T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1699660800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["JCM"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a group of metabolic abnormalities characterised by central obesity, hypertension, dyslipidaemia, and dysregulation of blood glucose, which is associated with the risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and overall mortality. White blood cell count is a selective marker of acute infection and inflammation, which could provide information on the metabolic status of subjects. This study aims to provide the best evidence on the association between MetS and white blood cell count by determining the effect size of this biomarker. Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis of studies indexed in the PubMed and Scopus databases were performed. Methodological quality was assessed using the STROBE tool, overall risk of bias using RevMan (Cochrane Collaboration), and quality of evidence using Grade Pro. Results: We included 14 articles comparing leukocyte concentrations in 21,005 subjects with MetS and 66,339 controls. Subjects with MetS had a higher mean leukocyte count, 0.64 cells \u00d7109\/L; CI95% 0.55\u20130.72; p &lt; 0.00001; I2 = 93%. Conclusions: An in-depth evaluation of the relationship of leukocytes in the pathophysiological process of MetS could lead to new insights into early diagnosis.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/jcm12227044","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2023,11,13]],"date-time":"2023-11-13T02:46:47Z","timestamp":1699843607000},"page":"7044","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":12,"title":["Association between Metabolic Syndrome and Leukocytes: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"12","author":[{"given":"Elena","family":"Raya-Cano","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Nursing, Pharmacology and Physiotherapy Department, University of Cordoba, 14071 C\u00f3rdoba, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0602-317X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Manuel","family":"Vaquero-Abell\u00e1n","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Nursing, Pharmacology and Physiotherapy Department, University of Cordoba, 14071 C\u00f3rdoba, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5223-7400","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Rafael","family":"Molina-Luque","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Nursing, Pharmacology and Physiotherapy Department, University of Cordoba, 14071 C\u00f3rdoba, Spain"},{"name":"Associated Group GA 16 Lifestyles, Innovation and Health, Maimonides Institute for Biomedical Research of C\u00f3rdoba, University of Cordoba, 14071 C\u00f3rdoba, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0005-4901","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Guillermo","family":"Molina-Recio","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Nursing, Pharmacology and Physiotherapy Department, University of Cordoba, 14071 C\u00f3rdoba, Spain"},{"name":"Associated Group GA 16 Lifestyles, Innovation and Health, Maimonides Institute for Biomedical Research of C\u00f3rdoba, University of Cordoba, 14071 C\u00f3rdoba, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5881-5638","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jos\u00e9 Miguel","family":"Guzm\u00e1n-Garc\u00eda","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Nursing, Pharmacology and Physiotherapy Department, University of Cordoba, 14071 C\u00f3rdoba, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Roc\u00edo","family":"Jim\u00e9nez-M\u00e9rida","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Nursing, Pharmacology and Physiotherapy Department, University of Cordoba, 14071 C\u00f3rdoba, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6146-4402","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Manuel","family":"Romero-Salda\u00f1a","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Associated Group GA 16 Lifestyles, Innovation and Health, Maimonides Institute for Biomedical Research of C\u00f3rdoba, University of Cordoba, 14071 C\u00f3rdoba, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,11,11]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1070","DOI":"10.1093\/aje\/kwf145","article-title":"Metabolic syndrome and development of diabetes mellitus: Application and validation of recently suggested definitions of the metabolic syndrome in a prospective cohort study","volume":"156","author":"Laaksonen","year":"2002","journal-title":"Am. 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