title: The increase of mean platelet volume in patients with Alzheimer disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Vascular risk factors play an important role in the progression of Alzheimer disease (AD). Mean platelet volume (MPV) is a determinant of platelet functionality and increased MPV is associated with an increased risk of vascular inflammation. Here we aimed to examine whether MPV could be used as a marker of vascular damage in AD and to discuss the relation between MPV and other vascular risk factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 109 outpatients with AD and 81 healthy controls were included in this study. Diagnosis of AD was made according to defined criteria. The Turkish version of the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) was used for cognitive assessment. According to the test results, patients were divided into 2 subgroups, mild (MMSE ≥ 18) and moderate (MMSE < 18), and their MPV levels were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  MPV levels were higher in the AD group. There was no statistically significant difference between the moderate group and the mild group according to MPV values.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Increased MPV in patients with AD may point to platelet dysfunction. MPV is an indicator of increased in vivo platelet activation. Hence, platelets could be the link between vascular risk factors and AD. The assessment of MPV in patients with AD may help identify the patients that could benefit from additional antiplatelet therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Balıkesir University, Turkey. erabiakoc@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Emine Rabia
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Koç
authors.forename: Ertuğrul
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Uzar
authors.forename: Yasemin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Çirak
authors.forename: Yasemin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Parlak Demir
authors.forename: Atilla
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ilhan
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D063847:Mean Platelet Volume; D015539:Platelet Activation / Q000502:physiology*; D012307:Risk Factors