title: Increased mean platelet volume associated with extent of slow coronary flow.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Slow coronary flow (SCF) is characterized by delayed opacification of epicardial coronary vessels. SCF can cause ischemia and sudden cardiac death. We investigated the association between presence and extent of SCF, and cardiovascular risk factors and hematologic indices.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study, 2467 patients who received coronary angiography for suspected or known ischemic heart disease were retrospectively evaluated between April 2009 and November 2010. Following the application of exclusion criteria, our study population consisted of 57 SCF patients (experimental group) and 90 patients with age- and gender-matched subjects who proved to have normal coronary angiograms (control group). Baseline hematologic indices were measured by the automated complete blood count (CBC) analysis. The groups were evaluated for cardiovascular risk factors and medications. Patients were categorized based on the angiographic findings of vessels with or without SCF. Moreover, patients with SCF were divided into subgroups relative to the extent of SCF.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the 147 patients (mean age 52.7 ± 10.0, 53.7% male), mean platelet volume (MPV) ranged from 6.5 fL to 11.7 fL (median 7.9 fL, mean 8.1 ± 0.8 fL). Diabetes (OR = 3.64, 95% CI 1.15-10.43, p = 0.03), hypercholesterolemia (OR = 4.94, 95% CI 1.99-12.21, p = 0.001), smoking (OR = 3.54, 95% CI 1.43-8.72, p = 0.006), hemoglobin (OR = 1.69, 95% CI 1.22-2.36, p = 0.002), and MPV (OR = 2.52, 95% CI 1.43-4.44, p = 0.001) were found to be the independent correlates of SCF presence. Only MPV (OR = 2.13, 95% CI 1.05-4.33, p = 0.03) was identified as an independent correlate of extent of SCF.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Elevated baseline MPV value was found to be an independent predictor of the presence and extent of SCF.
authors: Department of Cardiology, Balikesir University, School of Medicine, Balikesir, Turkey. isikturgay@yahoo.com
authors: Turgay
authors: T
authors: Isik
authors: Erkan
authors: E
authors: Ayhan
authors: Huseyin
authors: H
authors: Uyarel
authors: Mehmet
authors: M
authors: Ergelen
authors: Ibrahim Halil
authors: IH
authors: Tanboga
authors: Mustafa
authors: M
authors: Kurt
authors: Ali Fuat
authors: AF
authors: Korkmaz
authors: Ahmet
authors: A
authors: Kaya
authors: Enbiya
authors: E
authors: Aksakal
authors: Serdar
authors: S
authors: Sevimli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001772:Blood Cell Count; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000473:pathology*; D048429:Cell Size; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003326:Coronary Circulation; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015539:Platelet Activation; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index