Is Mean Platelet Volume a Useful Noninvasive Biomarker for Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Childhood?

ABSTRACT Introduction The incidence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has become a global disease in newly industrialized countries. Inflammation leads to a structural modification in platelets, and the secretion of cytokines results in a change of mean platelet volume (MPV). Aim To evaluate the relationship between IBD activity parameters and MPV. Materials and methods The study group included 26 patients [consisting of 18 ulcerative colitis (UC), 6 Crohn's disease (CD), and 2 indeterminate colitis patients] followed-up at Dr. Behçet Uz Children's Hospital between 2004 and 2016. The data of patients were screened retrospectively and the demographic, clinical and laboratory characteristics were evaluated. The changes in MPV during the activation, remission and relapse periods of the disease and correlation with other disease activity markers were investigated. Results The study group consisted of 26 IBD patients (female/male: 11/15) and 71 healthy controls. We used the Pediatric Ulcerative Colitis Activity Index and the Pediatric Crohn's Disease Activity Index to determine disease activity. The IBD group had statistically significantly higher leukocyte count and lower hemoglobin values compared with the control group (p = 0.05). The mean platelet count and MPV values were not correlated significantly with both the C-reactive protein level and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (p > 0.05). Conclusion We suggest that MPV is a simple and inexpensive method that can be useful in the diagnosis of IBD but does not provide significant results to determine the disease activity. How to cite this article Çinleti T, Bağ Ö, Ecevit ÇÖ. Is Mean Platelet Volume a Useful Noninvasive Biomarker for Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Childhood? J Med Sci 2020;6(1):4–7.