title: Platelet distribution width and the extent of coronary artery disease: results from a large prospective study.
abstract: It has been postulated that large platelets may be an indicator of platelet activation, and thus be related to the extent of coronary artery disease (CAD). Platelet distribution width (PDW) directly measures the variability in platelet size. However, no data has been so far reported on this index and CAD. Thus, the aim of the current study was to investigate whether PDW is associated with the extent of CAD. We measured PDW in 1882 consecutive patients undergoing coronary angiography. Significant CAD was defined as stenosis &gt;50% in at least one coronary vessel. We additionally measured Carotid Intima-Media Thickness (IMT) in 359 patients. Patients with higher PDW were older (p = 0.012), with higher weight (p &lt; 0.0001) and waist (p &lt; 0.0001), larger prevalence of diabetes (p = 0.014), dilated cardiomyopathy or valvular heart disease (p &lt; 0.0001) and less often family history of CAD (p = 0.021), more often on statins (p = 0.005), and diuretics (p = 0.016). PDW was significantly associated with baseline glycaemia (p = 0.002) and Red Blood Cell count (p &lt; 0.0001), but inversely related to platelet count (p &lt; 0.0001). PDW was not associated with the prevalence of coronary artery disease (OR [95% CI] = 0.91 [0.81&#x2013;1.04], p = 0.16; adjusted OR [95% CI] = 0.96 [0.82&#x2013;1.12], p = 0.56). No relationship was observed between IMT and PDW as tertiles or as continuous variable (Mean IMT: r = 0.04; p = 0.46; Maximal IMT: r = 0.036, p = 0.49). This study showed that PDW is not related to the extent of CAD and carotid IMT. Thus, PDW can not be considered as a risk factor for CAD.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Azienda Ospedaliera-Universitaria Maggiore della Carità, Eastern Piedmont University, Novara, Italy. giuseppe.deluca@maggioreosp.novara.it
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: De Luca
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Venegoni
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Iorio
authors.forename: Gioel Gabrio
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Secco
authors.forename: Ettore
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cassetti
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Verdoia
authors.forename: Alon
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schaffer
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Coppo
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bellomo
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Marino
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000473:pathology*; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000648:ultrastructure; D015331:Cohort Studies; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015539:Platelet Activation / Q000502:physiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000473:pathology; D017540:Tunica Media / Q000473:pathology