Clinical significance and changes of platelet parameter in child patients with pneumonia

Objective: To investigate the changes and clinical significance of 4 platelet parameters in the child patients with pneumonia caused by a variety of pathogens. Methods: The medical records of 192 child patients with microbial, viral and mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia were retrospectively reviewed. The changes of 4 platelet parameters [platelet count (PLT); platelet hematocrit (PCT); mean platelet volume (MPV) and platelet distribution width (PDW)] in the patients with pneumonia were observed and compared with 60 normal control groups. We defined thrombocytosis as platelet count above 300×109/L. Results: The 4 platelet parameters of microbial pneumonia patients were significantly higher than those of the other two groups (P0.01). The 4 platelet parameters of severe pneumonia group were significantly higher than those of mild pneumonia group in acute stage (P0.05). The 4 platelet parameters of both severe pneumonia group and mild pneumo- nia group in convalescene stage were significantly decreased. Conclusion: The abnormality of the amount and function of platelet is the common pathological process of children pneumonia, and it is more prone to microbial pneumonia, thus the changes of platelet parameter may be reference marker for predicting the patients with pneumonia and accessing the severity.