Exploring the Association Between Hypothyroidism, Mean Platelet Volume, and Red Cell Distribution Width: A...

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Hematology

Background:

• Thyroid hormones play a crucial role in hematopoiesis.
• Red cell distribution width (RDW) and mean platelet volume (MPV) are emerging inflammatory markers.
• Previous studies suggest RDW and MPV relevance in thyroid disorders.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between hypothyroidism and RDW and MPV levels.
• To assess the potential of RDW and MPV as indicators for hypothyroidism.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of data from King Abdulaziz Medical City (KAMC-J) between May 2016 and June 2022.
• Comparison of 99 hypothyroid patients with 99 healthy controls.
• Assessment of thyroid function tests, complete blood count (CBC), and statistical analysis including Wilcoxon rank sum test and ROC curve analysis.

Main Results:

• Hypothyroid patients exhibited significantly higher median RDW (14% vs 13%, p<0.001) and MPV (10.43 fL vs 8.9 fL, p<0.001) compared to controls.
• MPV levels >9.40 fL showed 77% sensitivity and 70% specificity for hypothyroidism (AUC: 0.796).
• RDW levels >13% showed 75% sensitivity and 51.5% specificity for hypothyroidism (AUC: 0.683).

Conclusions:

• Elevated MPV and RDW levels are significantly associated with hypothyroidism.
• MPV and RDW may serve as potential indicators for hypothyroidism.
• Further research is needed to establish the clinical utility of MPV and RDW as screening tools for hypothyroidism.