title: Platelet indices in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a chronic progressive disease characterized by persistent elevation of pulmonary artery pressure. Vasoconstriction, remodeling, and thrombosis cause increased pulmonary vascular resistance and pressure. Previous studies have demonstrated that platelet activation occurs in patients with PAH. Our aim was to assess the mean platelet volume (MPV), an indicator of platelet activation in patients with PAH.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study group consisted of 22 patients with PAH. An age-, gender-, and body mass index-matched control group was composed of 25 healthy volunteers. All patients underwent physical examination, echocardiography, and diagnostic cardiac catheterization. We measured serum MPV values and platelet counts in patients with PAH and control participant.
  
  
  RESULTS
  MPV was significantly higher among the patients with PAH when compared with control group (8.68 ± 0.87 vs 8.02 ± 0.68 fl, respectively; P = .006).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We have shown that MPV was elevated in patients with PAH.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Suleyman Demirel University, Isparta, Turkey. drercanvarol@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Ercan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Varol
authors.forename: Bayram Ali
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Uysal
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ozaydin
mesh_terms: D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000473:pathology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D065627:Familial Primary Pulmonary Hypertension; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015539:Platelet Activation; D010974:Platelet Aggregation; D010976:Platelet Count; D012307:Risk Factors