title: Decreased mean platelet volume in children with acute rotavirus gastroenteritis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The contribution of platelets to the inflammatory response via several platelet derived mediators is well recognized. The role of mean platelet volume (MPV) in infectious and inflammatory disorders, however, has not yet been well-established. While some of the previous studies demonstrated that MPV acted as a positive acute phase reactant, several others suggested its role as a negative acute phase reactant. In the current study, we aimed to assess the role of MPV as an acute phase reactant in children with rotavirus gastroenteritis.
  
  
  METHODS
  We undertook a prospective, randomized, controlled, cross-sectional study and enrolled children diagnosed with acute rotavirus gastroenteritis and healthy controls (HC), between August and November 2012. Children with acute gastroenteritis were assigned either in the rotavirus-positive acute gastroenteritis (RPAG) or in the rotavirus-negative acute gastroenteritis (RNAG) group depending on their stool antigen results. Patients were also classified into two groups based on their Vesikari score (< 11: non-severe and ≥ 11: severe). Complete blood count and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were assessed for all patients. We compared MPV between RPAG, RNAG and HC groups and investigated the association, if any, among MPV, platelets, white blood count and CRP.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In total 100 RPAG (54 males; mean age: 38.74 ± 41.45 months), 100 RNAG (58 males; mean age: 32.84 ± 29.64 months) children and 100 HC (43 males; mean age: 33.21 ± 32.55 months) were enrolled into the study. Mean platelet counts were well-matched among groups (p > 0.05). We observed a steady decline in MPV (fL) in the HC, RPAG and RNAG groups (median 7.80, 7.35 and 7.30, respectively; p < 0.0001). We did not find an association between MPV and the clinical score of gastroenteritis (p > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found that MPV could be used as an acute phase reactant in children with rotavirus gastroenteritis. We believe that the current study will contribute to our understanding of MPV as an inflammatory marker.
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Fatih University Medical School , Ankara , Turkey.
authors: Emin
authors: E
authors: Mete
authors: Ahmet Zulfikar
authors: AZ
authors: Akelma
authors: Mehmet Nevzat
authors: MN
authors: Cizmeci
authors: Davut
authors: D
authors: Bozkaya
authors: Mehmet Kenan
authors: MK
authors: Kanburoglu
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000210:Acute-Phase Reaction / Q000097:blood / Q000821:virology; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000097:blood* / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D063847:Mean Platelet Volume; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012401:Rotavirus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000097:blood* / Q000821:virology; D055815:Young Adult