Significance of the platelet distribution width as a severity marker for the development of preeclampsia

To evaluate the platelet distribution width (PDW) and other platelet indices as potential severity markers of preeclampsia (PE).

A total of 935 pregnant women who had received continuous prenatal care and had undergone delivery were included. The participants were classified into 3 groups: healthy pregnant women (n=816), pregnant women with mild PE (n=59), and pregnant women with severe PE (n=60). Blood samples were collected during antenatal care or at the time of admission, and the platelet indices were compared among the three groups.

Among the three groups, the platelet count and plateletcrit decreased as the disease progressed. The mean platelet volume and the PDW, however, increased as the disease progressed. When compared to the levels of other platelet indices, the PDW showed significant elevation in the severe PE group. In the mild and severe PE groups, the PDW was statistically correlated with the mean arterial pressure (MAP) (r=0.231, p<0.05), whereas other platelet indices were not. In the receiver operating characteristics curve analysis, the area under the curve of the PDW to predict severe PE was 0.74.

Among platelet indices, the PDW is significantly higher in women with severe PE than in women with mild PE, and is positively correlated with the MAP. Therefore, the PDW can serve as a candidate marker for predicting the severity of PE.