Could thrombocyte parameters be an inflammatory marker in the brucellosis?
OBJECTIVE
To investigate links between platelet parameters mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet count (PC), platelet distribution width (PDW), platelet mass (PM) and brucella tube agglutination titers (BSTAT) in patients with brucellosis. Initially, PC, MPV, PM and PDW calculations were compared between periods before and after treatment. The correlation between inflammation markers (erythrocyte sedimentation rate, ESR, white blood cell count, WBC, and C reactive protein, CRP) and platelet parameters was subsequently investigated.


METHODS
This self-controlled study included 40 patients who had positive BSTAT at least at a titer of 1/160. Platelet parameters and inflammation values (CRP, ESR) at the time of positive BSTAT at least at a titer of 1/160 (pre-treatment) were compared with control of the same parameters at the time when BSTAT became negative or when the titers reduced 4 folds (post-treatment).


RESULTS
Mean platelet volume values (7.90+1.96) were significantly elevated in post treatment period when compared to pre treatment (7.58+1.96), (p= 0.023). Post treatment CRP, ESR and PC were significantly reduced when compared to pretreatment values (p=0.000, p=0.000 and p=0.025, respectively). In the pretreatment period, a direct correlation between ESR and PC values (r=0.036, p=0.025), and inverse correlations between ESR with MPV (r=-0.337, p=0.038) was found. A dependent predictive factor in multivariate logistic regression analysis for BSTAT was not found.


CONCLUSIONS
We suggest that PC and MPV may be inflammatory markers in brucellosis.
1Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, 2Department of  Medical Microbiology, 3Department of Biochemistry, 4Department of Internal Medicine; Abant Izzet Baysal University, School of Medicine, Bolu, Turkey.
Abdulkadir
A
Küçükbayrak
Tekin
T
Taş
Mehmet
M
Tosun
Gülali
G
Aktaş
Aytekin
A
Alçelik
Ismail
I
Necati Hakyemez
Esra
E
Koçoğlu
Hayrettin
H
Akdeniz
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001792:Blood Platelets; D001799:Blood Sedimentation; D002006:Brucellosis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D063847:Mean Platelet Volume; D008875:Middle Aged; D010976:Platelet Count; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D015415:Biomarkers; D002097:C-Reactive Protein