Biomedical Research

Background: Mean Platelet Volume (MPV) is a measure of platelet size, and is influenced by inflammation which is commonly overlooked by clinicians. In critically ill patients, sepsis is a major problem and considered a generalized process that involves all body organs and systems. Hemostatic system is commonly involved in any sepsis condition. The aim of this study is to detect changes of MPV on admission in critically ill children and determine its relation to other clinical and laboratory parameters that can be indicators of sepsis.

Materials and Methods: Critically ill children, aged between 1 month and 12 y, consecutively presented to Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) were assessed for possible enrolment in the study. Venous blood samples were collected from all included children at initial presentation, at 12 h and 48 h after PICU admission. MPV and other blood indices were measured and compared with systemic inflammatory process serum markers.

Results: Changes in platelets count did not show any significant differences during the first 48 h in both MPV-rise (p=0.22) and MPV-no/rise groups (p=0.09). Changes in Procalcitonin (PCT) were significant in MPV-rise (p?0.001) but not in MPV-no/rise groups (p=0.06).

Conclusions: The results of this study demonstrate a strong relation between the increase in MPV from baseline in critically ill children admitted to PICU with important laboratory and clinical variables.

Author(s): Abeer Abd Elmoneim, Abdel Rahman Alhojaili, Noha Reda Banjer, Mohammed Zolaly, Ehab Saoud Abd El-Moneim
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