title: Relationship between mean platelet volume and varicocele: a preliminary study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the relationship between the mean platelet volume (MPV) and varicocele to clarify the etiopathogenesis of varicocele.
  
  
  METHODS
  MPV levels were measured in 60 varicocele subjects (group I) and 57 healthy controls (group II) from 2009-2010. Ages were similar between the 2 groups. The diagnosis of varicocele was based on the findings from both physical examination and color Doppler ultrasound.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average patient age at the time of examination was 28.12 ± 6.4 years in group I and 28.10 ± 5.8 in group II. MPV levels were statistically significantly higher in group I than in group II (P < .001). Positive correlations were found between MPV and varicocele grade as between MPV and diameter of left spermatic vein (P < .05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The increase in MPV is independent of the disease, and the increase in varicocele grade is associated with higher MPV in varicocele patients. On the basis of the importance of the vascular component in the pathophysiology of varicocele, we would suggest conducting more studies with platelets in varicocele patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, University of Dicle, Diyarbakır, Turkey. dryasarbozkurt@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Yasar
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bozkurt
authors.forename: Haluk
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Soylemez
authors.forename: Ahmet Ali
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Sancaktutar
authors.forename: Yahya
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Islamoglu
authors.forename: Aytan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kar
authors.forename: Necmettin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Penbegul
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Atar
authors.forename: Mehmet Nuri
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Bodakci
authors.forename: Namık Kemal
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Hatipoglu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000473:pathology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010976:Platelet Count; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014646:Varicocele / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D055815:Young Adult