Role of Platelet Indices as a Potential Marker for Malaria Severity

Purpose. Platelet parameter alteration such as platelet count and platelet indices are more common than in other blood cell lines due to diverse causative pathophysiological mechanisms in severe malaria infection. In malaria patients, no more studies evaluated platelet indices in relation to disease severity and prognosis. Therefore, this review assessed the current scientific knowledge on the potential role of platelet indices for the diagnostic marker of severe malaria infection. Results. Hence, after reviewing recent literatures, elevation of mean platelet volume and platelet distribution width in addition to decreased plateletcrit and platelet counts is the known potential risk factor associated with warning signs of severe malaria. Thus, thrombocytopenia < 150 × 10 9 / L , MPV ≥ 9.05 fL , and PDW ≥ 14.550 % as well as significantly higher P-LCR and decrease in PCT are shown significant sensitivity and specificity as they are used as diagnostic and prognostic values in severe malaria infection. Conclusion. Platelet indices are useful predictors of malaria severity. Immature platelet fraction (IPF%) is raised in the case of severe malaria, and it was significantly more useful than MPV. Advanced research will further investigate the platelet index abnormality associated with specific age and gender among specific malaria species.

Hypothyroidism and Platelet Parameter Evaluation

Aims: To evaluate the effect of subclinical and overt hypothyroidism on mean platelet volume (MPV) and platelet distribution width (PDW). Study Design: Cross sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Outpatient Clinic of Diabetes, Metabolism and Endocrinology Unit in internal medicine department and clinical pathology, Tanta University, Egypt in a period between June 2018 to June 2019. Methodology: We tested 250 subjects; 50 healthy control and 200 hypothyroid patients (all were female; age ≥18 years old age) without any medical history, then patients were subdivided into newly diagnosed group and another group on l-thyroxin treatment. Platelet parameters (MPV, PDW) were assessed in all of them. Results: MPV & PDW is increasing in hypothyroid patients than control group (8.93 ± 0.62), more in overt group (10.88 ± 0.57) than subclinical group (10.02 ± 0.55). No significant reduction in MPV and PDW in patients on l-thyroxin treatment which suggest that l-thyroxin treatment couldn’t produce difference till patients reaching their target level being euthyroid. Conclusion: We recommend the usefulness of MPV and PDW as inexpensive markers of platelet activation in diagnostic work-up of athero-thrombotic complications risk in patients with subclinical and overt hypothyroidism.

The different associations between platelet distribution width and hypertension subtypes in males and females

The prevalence of hypertension has increased rapidly in recent years. Currently, increasing attention has been paid to the relationship between hypertension and platelet abnormalities. As a simple and available platelet parameter, platelet distribution width (PDW) can reflect platelet abnormalities and further reflect the risk of thrombotic diseases. However, the views on PDW and hypertension are controversial at present studies. Hence, we aimed to find the associations between PDW and hypertension subtypes in the present study. A total of 73,469 participants (44,665 males and 28,804 females) were enrolled. We found that PDW was a risk factor for isolated systolic hypertension (ISH), and the risk of ISH increased with PDW quartiles among women. In men, high PDW might be a risk factor for isolated diastolic hypertension and systolic–diastolic hypertension.

Influence of different methods and anticoagulants on platelet parameter measurement

Platelets are the smallest and perhaps the most versatile components of human blood. Besides their role in coagulation and the maintenance of vascular integrity, they are involved in many physiological processes, ranging from immune response and leukocyte recruitment to the production of antimicrobial peptides and immune-suppressive factors like TGF-β. These versatile abilities make platelets interesting for researchers from different disciplines. However, beside profound investigation into platelets’ physiological role, there is a need for correct, standardized and thus reproducible quantification of platelet parameters. Mean platelet volume (MPV) is a widespread prognostic marker for several conditions, such as, acute coronary syndrome, chronic kidney disease and liver cirrhosis. Platelet activation is regarded as a marker for inflammatory processes, for example in autoimmune diseases such as type-1 diabetes, systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis. The monitoring of platelet function is relevant for patients receiving antiplatelet medication. Platelet parameter measurement is affected by the choice of in vitro anticoagulant, the measurement technology and the time delay after sampling. This review focuses on the pre-analytical variability that arises as a result of the use of different in vitro anticoagulants and analyzer technologies when determining platelet parameters, since, even approximately 180 years after the discovery of platelets, there is still no standardized procedure.