Can Mean Platelet Volume Be a Surrogate Marker of Inflammation in Rheumatic Diseases?

BACKGROUND

In humans, it has been suggested that low-level mean platelet volume (MPV) may be related to secondary thrombosis due to inflammation. For this reason, MPV can be used as a marker showing inflammation in the body.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the association of MPV with erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), Disease Activity Score-28 (DAS-28), and Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) in patients with rheumatic diseases.

METHODS

The study consisted of 261 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (203 females, 77.8%; 58 males, 22.2%), 85 patients with ankylosing spondylitis (57 males, 67.1%; 28 females, 32.9%), 56 patients with familial Mediterranean fever (32 females, 57.1%; 24 males, 42.9%) and 194 patients (139 females, 71.6%; 55 males, 28.4%) with other rheumatic diseases (Behçet's disease, psoriatic arthritis, spondyloarthropathy, systemic lupus erythematosus, systemic sclerosis, or undifferentiated connective tissue disease).

RESULTS

There was an inversely significant correlation between MPV and ESR and CRP in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (r = -0.164, p = 0.008). Mean platelet volume was negatively correlated with DAS-28-ESR/CRP (r = -0.393, p < 0.001) in rheumatoid arthritis. Mean platelet volume was inversely correlated with BASDAI (r = -0.580, p < 0.001) in ankylosing spondylitis. In the group with familial Mediterranean fever (especially M694V homozygous), there was a negative correlation between MPV and ESR and CRP (p < 0.001). Mean platelet volume and CRP were negatively correlated in psoriatic arthritis (r = -0.599, p = 0.011). Mean platelet volume and ESR were inversely related in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (r = -0.421, p = 0.045). There was a negative correlation between MPV and ESR (r = -0.219, p = 0.002), and between MPV and CRP (r = -0.208, p = 0.004) in other rheumatic diseases.

CONCLUSIONS

The lower MPV level surrogates active and/or chronic inflammatory state in the body. Thus, MPV may be used as a negative acute-phase reactant in rheumatic diseases.