title: Mean platelet volume and β-thromboglobulin levels in familial Mediterranean fever: effect of colchicine use?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Many studies have shown that subclinical inflammation persisted during remission period of Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF) patients but long term effects of subclinical inflammation in these patients aren't clearly known. Besides, a few of the recent studies revealed that risk of atherosclerosis had increased in FMF patients. β-Thromboglobulin (β-TG) is considered as a sensitive marker of platelet activation. In this study Mean Platelet Volume (MPV) and β-TG levels were evaluated in FMF patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Following the Local Ethics Committee's consent, 25 FMF patients were included in the study. Twenty eight age and sex matched healthy volunteers were recruited as a control group. Lipid profile, inflammatory parameters, hemogram, β-TG, MPV were assessed. Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS for Windows 16.00.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Group I consisted of 25 FMF cases (16 females, 9 males; mean age: 35.72 ± 12.34 years), Group II consisted of 28 cases (22 females, 6 males; mean age 31.78 ± 10.31 years). There was no statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of age and gender distribution, smoking status, total cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL and MPV (p>0.05). HDL levels were found to be statistically lower in Group I (p:0.04). Median β-TG levels was significantly higher in Group II than Group I (129.50 (range:372.00) ng/mL versus 104.00 (range:212.80) ng/mL respectively; p:0.03).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this study MPV and β-TG were evaluated for FMF cases and healthy controls, β-TG levels were found significantly lower among patients; we hypothesized that this difference may have resulted from the effect of colchicine use on platelet functions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Haydarpasa Numune Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. babacangul@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Gul Babacan
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Abanonu
authors.forename: Alper
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Daskin
authors.forename: Mehmet Fatih
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Akdogan
authors.forename: Seyit
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Uyar
authors.forename: Refik
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Demirtunc
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D048429:Cell Size; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003078:Colchicine / Q000494:pharmacology; D010505:Familial Mediterranean Fever / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015539:Platelet Activation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D050257:Tubulin Modulators / Q000494:pharmacology; D001620:beta-Thromboglobulin / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D050257:Tubulin Modulators; D001620:beta-Thromboglobulin; D003078:Colchicine