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Mean platelet volume in children with systemic lupus erythematosus
Mohamed A Talat1, Mayy An Allah1, Naglaa Ali Khalifa2
1Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt.
Insights
Mean platelet volume (MPV) is elevated in active systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in children. This finding suggests MPV can serve as a simple marker for assessing disease activity in pediatric SLE patients.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Rheumatology
- Hematology
- Clinical Chemistry
Background:
- Platelets exhibit heterogeneity in size, density, and function.
- Mean platelet volume (MPV) quantifies average platelet size.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess mean platelet volume (MPV) as a marker for disease activity in pediatric patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
Main Methods:
- A prospective case-control study involving 50 children with SLE and 50 age/sex-matched healthy controls.
- Laboratory parameters, including MPV, were analyzed during active and remission phases of SLE.
Main Results:
- MPV was significantly higher in the SLE group compared to controls (p=0.04).
- Active SLE showed increased MPV, SLEDAI-2K scores, and inflammatory markers (CRP, ESR), with decreased hemoglobin and albumin.
- A negative correlation was observed between MPV and mean platelet count (MPC) during active SLE.
Conclusions:
- Mean platelet volume (MPV) is elevated during the active phase of childhood SLE.
- MPV presents a simple, rapid, and cost-effective method for evaluating disease activity in pediatric SLE.
Background:
Platelets are heterogeneous in size, density, metabolic, functional, and biochemical properties. Mean platelet volume (MPV) is a measure of the average size of platelet in a blood sample.
Aim:
We aimed to evaluate the mean platelet volume as a marker for disease activity in children with systemic lupus erythematosus.
Materials And Methods:
This was a prospective case-control study, which included 50 patients with SLE and 50 age and sex, matched healthy controls. All subjects were subjected to history taking, physical examination and laboratory parameters in active and remission phases of the diseases.
Results:
The MPV value in the SLE group was significantly higher than control group (9.6 ± 1.3 fL, 9.1 ± 0.57 fL, respectively, p = 0.04). There was a significant increase of weight, blood pressure, urea, creatinine, proteinuria, CRP, ESR, cholestrol, MPV values, SLEDAI-2K scores and significant decrease of HB, albumin, C3, mean platelet volume (MPC) in the active stage than in the remission stage. There was a significant negative correlation between MPV and MPC in active stage of the disease but the correlation was insignificant in remission stage.
Conclusion:
MPV increased in active phase of patients with SLE and can be an easy, rapid, inexpensive and simple method to assess disease activity in children with SLE.
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