Role of Mean Platelet Volume in the Development of Peripheral Artery Disease

Introduction: The mean platelet volume (MPV) is one of several indicators of platelet activity. Recent studies have shown that MPV is increased in myocardial infarction, unstable angina, and stroke. Peripheral artery disease (PAD) manifests with the narrowing or obstruction of the abdominal aorta and arteries distal to the aortic bifurcation due to progressive atherosclerosis. The objective of this study is to investigate the MPV and platelet count in patients with PAD. Patients and Methods: This study included 67 patients aged 40-80 years who underwent elective surgery for PAD in our hospital between January 2018 and June 2019, along with a control group comprising 67 patients without PAD. The MPV and platelet count values were obtained from a preoperatively performed hemogram analysis. Importantly, the groups were statistically compared in our study. Results: As compared to the control group, the patients with PAD had a significantly higher mean age (p= 0.02), prevalence of diabetes mellitus (p 0.05). The mean platelet count and MPV were also significantly higher in patients with PAD as compared to patients without PAD (p< 0.01). Conclusion: The use of inexpensive and widely used tests such as platelet count and MPV can facilitate an early diagnosis of the diseases with high morbidity and mortality, such as PAD.