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Platelet histogram indices and cardiovascular disease in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

C Jurcuţ1, Ruxandra Jurcuţ, Simona Caraiola

  • 1Internal Medicine Department, "Dr. Carol Davila" Central University Emergency Military Hospital, Bucharest, Romania. cjurcut@gmail.com

Romanian Journal of Internal Medicine = Revue Roumaine De Medecine Interne
|December 25, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Rheumatoid arthritis patients with cardiovascular disease show increased platelet activation, indicated by higher mean platelet volume (MPV) and platelet distribution width (PDW). These platelet indices may help identify heightened prothrombotic activity in RA patients at risk for CVD.

Area of Science:

  • Rheumatology
  • Cardiology
  • Hematology

Background:

  • Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is associated with a higher prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) compared to the general population.
  • Predictors for CVD development in RA patients and the role of thrombosis mechanisms remain incompletely understood.
  • Platelet activation markers may offer insights into the pathogenesis of CVD in RA.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate platelet histogram indices, specifically mean platelet volume (MPV) and platelet distribution width (PDW), as markers of platelet activation.
  • To compare these indices in patients with RA with and without CVD.
  • To evaluate the association of platelet indices with CVD in RA patients.

Main Methods:

  • A study involving 64 patients with RA, assessing clinical and biochemical parameters, including platelet histogram analysis (MPV, PDW).
  • Patients were divided into two groups: RA without CVD (n=41) and RA with CVD (n=23).
  • Comparisons were made with a control group (n=20) and a group of patients with CVD without RA (n=62).

Main Results:

  • Patients with RA and CVD exhibited significantly higher MPV and PDW values compared to RA patients without CVD, indicating greater platelet activation.
  • PDW values were higher in RA patients with CVD than in patients with CVD but without RA, suggesting increased platelet activation in RA.
  • PDW correlated with fibrinogen levels, but not with CRP or ESR, while MPV did not correlate with inflammatory markers in RA patients.

Conclusions:

  • The pathogenesis of CVD in rheumatoid arthritis patients may involve increased prothrombotic activity.
  • Platelet histogram indices, such as MPV and PDW, may serve as valuable indicators of this heightened prothrombotic state.
  • These findings suggest that platelet activation markers could aid in assessing CVD risk in RA.
Abstract

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