Mean platelet volume is elevated in patients with patent foramen ovale.
BACKGROUND
Platelets play a major role in thromboembolic events. Increased mean platelet volume (MPV) indicates higher platelet reactivity and also a tendency to thrombosis. Patent foramen ovale (PFO), persistence of the fetal anatomic shunt between right and left atria, is strongly associated with cryptogenic stroke. The aim of this study is to determine the relationship between MPV and PFO and if such an association exists, whether higher MPV levels may require antiplatelet therapy before a thromboembolic event happens, together with a literature review.


METHODS
Thirty patients (15 women, 15 men), free of any cerebrovascular events, were diagnosed with PFO by transesophageal echocardiography (TEE), enrolled as the study group. Thirty consecutive patients (16 women and 14 men), who were diagnosed as normal in TEE, were enrolled as the control group. These two groups were compared according to MPV and anatomical features of the right atrium.


RESULTS
There was no significant difference between study and control groups in clinical features and also no difference was observed in platelet counts; however, MPV in the PFO group was significantly higher than the control group (8.38 ±0.93 fl and 7.45 ±0.68 fl respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
Our results indicate that elevated MPV may be detected in patients with PFO. This might be one of the explanations for the relationship between PFO and cryptogenic stroke; however, larger cohorts are warranted in order to define further mechanisms.
Department of Cardiology, Bakirkoy Dr. Sadi Konuk Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
Bulent
B
Demir
Department of Cardiology, Bakirkoy Dr. Sadi Konuk Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
Ilker Murat
IM
Caglar
Department of Cardiology, Bakirkoy Dr. Sadi Konuk Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
Ismail
I
Ungan
Anadolu Medical Center Hospital Cardiovascular Surgery Clinic, Istanbul, Turkey.
Murat
M
Ugurlucan
Department of Cardiology, Bakirkoy Dr. Sadi Konuk Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
Hande Oktay
HO
Tureli
Department of Cardiology, Bakirkoy Dr. Sadi Konuk Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
Osman
O
Karakaya
echocardiography; mean platelet volume; patent foramen ovale; stroke