title: MPV and other inflammatory markers in diagnosing acute appendicitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether mean platelet volume can be used as an inflammatory marker for the diagnosis of acute appendicitis, and to determine the role, if any, of white blood cell count, C-reactive protein and neutrophil count in this regard.
  
  
  METHODS
  The retrospective study was conducted at Mersin University (MEU) Health Research and Application Center, Emergency Department, Mersin, Turkey, and included medical record of patients having gone appendectomy between April 2012 to July 2013. Based on pathology examination, the cases were grouped as uncomplicated, complicated, and non-appendicitis cases. Preoperative white blood cell, neutrophil, C-reactive protein and mean platelet volume were noted. SPSS 16 was used for statistical analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Records of 275 patients were studied. Overall, 90(32.7%) patients were uncomplicated, 120(43.7%) complicated, and 65(23.6%) were non-appendicitis cases. The first two groups had a significantly higher white blood cell (p=0.001) and neutrophil (p<0.001) counts than the third one. Mean platelet volume levels were not statistically different (p=0.478).The neutrophil count had a sensitivity of 76.19%, specificity of 56.92%, positive predictive value of 85.11%, and negative predictive value of 42.53%; white blod cell count had sensitivity 68.10%, specificity 61.54%, positive predictive value 85.12%, and negative predictive value 37.38%; mean platelet volume level had sensitivity 74.76%, specificity 35.38%, positive predictive value 78.89%, and negative predictive value 30.26%; and C-reactive protein level had sensitivity 84.29%, specificity 30.77%, positive predictive value 79.73%, and negative predictive value 37.74%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Elevated white blood cell and neutrophil counts may be used as diagnostic tests in cases of acute appendicitis, while C-reactive protein and mean platelet volume levels were not useful as diagnostic markers.
authors.affiliation: Emergency Medicine Department, Mersin University Medical Faculty, Mersin, Turkey.
authors.forename: Seyran
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bozkurt
authors.affiliation: Emergency Medicine Department, Mersin University Medical Faculty, Mersin, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ataman
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Köse
authors.affiliation: Biostatistics and Medical Informatics Department, Mersin University Medical Faculty, Mersin, Turkey.
authors.forename: Semra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Erdogan
authors.affiliation: Emergency Medicine Department, Mersin University Medical Faculty, Mersin, Turkey.
authors.forename: Gulten Iraoöz
authors.initials: GI
authors.lastname: Bozali
authors.affiliation: Emergency Medicine Department, Mersin University Medical Faculty, Mersin, Turkey.
authors.forename: Cüneyt
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ayrik
authors.affiliation: Pathology Department, Mersin University Medical Faculty, Mersin, Turkey.
authors.forename: Rabia Bozdogan
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Arpaci
authors.affiliation: Radiology Department, Mersin University Medical Faculty, Mersin, Turkey.
authors.forename: Anil
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Özgur
authors.affiliation: Emergency Medicine Department, Mersin University Medical Faculty, Mersin, Turkey.
authors.forename: Güllü Akbaydogan
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Dündar
authors.affiliation: General Surgery Department, Mersin University Medical Faculty, Mersin, Turkey.
authors.forename: Özgür
authors.initials: Ö
authors.lastname: Turkmenoglu
mesh_terms: D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001062:Appendectomy; D001064:Appendicitis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000601:surgery; D015415:Biomarkers; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000276:immunology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D063847:Mean Platelet Volume; D008875:Middle Aged; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000166:cytology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D002097:C-Reactive Protein
keywords: Acute appendicitis, Mean platelet volume, C-reactive protein, Leucocyte count.