title: Evaluation of the mean platelet volume in patients with cardiac syndrome X.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Cardiac syndrome X is characterized by angina-like chest pain, a positive stress test, and normal coronary arteries. A patient's mean platelet volume, which potentially reflects platelet function and activity, is associated with coronary atherosclerosis and endothelial dysfunction. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the mean platelet volumes of patients with cardiac syndrome X, those with coronary artery disease and normal subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred thirty-six subjects (76 patients with cardiac syndrome X, 78 patients with coronary artery disease, and 82 controls) were enrolled in the study. All of the subjects were evaluated with a detailed medical history, physical examination, and biochemical analyses. The mean platelet volumes were compared between the three groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean platelet volumes in the patients with cardiac syndrome X and with coronary artery disease were significantly higher than those that were observed in the control group. There were no significant differences in the mean platelet volumes between the cardiac syndrome X and the coronary artery disease groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We have established that patients with cardiac syndrome X and coronary artery disease exhibit higher mean platelet volumes compared to controls. Patients with cardiac syndrome X exhibited higher mean platelet volumes compared to the controls, reflecting the presence of subclinical atherosclerosis. These findings suggest that, in addition to endothelial dysfunction, the presence of atherosclerosis may also contribute to the etiopathogenesis of cardiac syndrome X.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, School of Medicine, Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey. sdemirkol@gata.edu.tr
authors.forename: Sait
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Demirkol
authors.forename: Sevket
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Balta
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Unlu
authors.forename: Uygar Cagdas
authors.initials: UC
authors.lastname: Yuksel
authors.forename: Turgay
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Celik
authors.forename: Zekeriya
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Arslan
authors.forename: Ugur
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Kucuk
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yokusoglu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000166:cytology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017566:Microvascular Angina / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010976:Platelet Count; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric