Is mean platelet volume associated with the angiographic severity of coronary artery disease?
BACKGROUND
Platelet activation and aggregation play key roles both in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and in the developmentof acute thrombotic events. Platelet volume is a marker of platelet activation and function, and is measured usingmean platelet volume (MPV).


OBJECTIVE
To determine the relationship between MPV and angiographic Gensini and SYNTAX scores, which give information about the severity and complexity of coronary artery disease (CAD).


METHODS
This study included 435 consecutive patients undergoing elective coronary angiography. The complete blood countand biochemical examination of blood were obtained after 12 h of fasting. The independent association between MPV andthe severity of CAD was statistically evaluated using PASW Statistics 18 for Windows.


RESULTS
Mean age of the study population was 58.4 ± 9.3 years, of whom 196 were female (45.1%) and 239 male (54.9%). Of the patients, 63.2% had CAD, 31.7% had diabetes mellitus, 61.8% had hypertension, 56.6% had hyperlipidaemia, and 38.6% were smokers. Mean Gensini score was 20.7 ± 31.1. According to Gensini scores, 160 of the patients (36.8%) hadnormal coronary arteries (Gensini score: 0), 134 of the patients (30.8%) had minimal CAD (Gensini score: 1-19), and 141 ofthem (32.4%) had severe CAD (Gensini score ≥ 20). Mean MPV values were 8.4 ± 1.0 fL in the group that had no CAD,8.7 ± 1.0 fL in the group with minimal CAD, and 9.3 ± 1.5 fL in the group with severe CAD. According to Spearman correlationanalysis, the positive relationship found between MPV and Gensini score was statistically significant (p < 0.001,r = 0.290). Likewise, SYNTAX score was also associated with MPV (p < 0.001, r = 0.504).


CONCLUSIONS
We determined a positive correlation between MPV and Gensini and SYNTAX scores. Therefore, this simple haematology test can be used in determining cardiovascular disease burden besides other risk factors during routine clinical practice. For further information about this topic, large-scale studies are needed.
Department of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, Ufuk University, Ankara, Turkey. berkay.ekici@gmail.com.
Berkay
B
Ekici
Aycan Fahri
AF
Erkan
Aslıhan
A
Alhan
Irmak
I
Sayın
Meltem
M
Aylı
Hasan Fehmi
HF
Töre
D015897:Comorbidity; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000453:epidemiology; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D063847:Mean Platelet Volume; D008875:Middle Aged; D012720:Severity of Illness Index