Mean platelet volume in children with systemic lupus erythematosus

Role of Platelets in Rheumatic Chronic Autoimmune Inflammatory Diseases

Platelets are essential in maintaining blood homeostasis and regulating several inflammatory processes. They constantly interact with immune cells, have immunoregulatory functions, and can affect, through immunologically active substances, endothelium, leukocytes, and other immune response components. In reverse, inflammatory and immune processes can activate platelets, which might be significant in autoimmune disease progression and arising complications. Thus, considering this interplay, targeting platelet activity may represent a new approach to treatment of autoimmune diseases. This review aims to highlight the role of platelets in the pathogenic mechanisms of the most frequent chronic autoimmune inflammatory diseases to identify gaps in current knowledge and to provide potential new targets for medical interventions.

Is mean platelet volume related to disease activity in systemic lupus erythematosus?

INTRODUCTION

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a connective tissue disease that is chronic, recurrent and multisystem with unknown aetiology. There is still no single biomarker that is pathognomonic for the disease. We know that platelets are the main part of haemostasis and thrombosis. We aimed to investigate whether there is a connection between MPV with SLE and inflammatory markers.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We have included 39 female patients with SLE and 45 controls in this study. In both groups, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), serum C-reactive protein (CRP) levels and MPV levels were investigated. Clinical findings and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI) were evaluated in patients.

RESULTS

There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of demographic data. The MPV was 8.1 ± 0.5 (mean ± SD) in the patient's group and 7.6 ± 0.3 in the control group. There was a significant difference between the two groups in terms of MPV (P < .001). The ESR level was 30.7 ± 29 in the patient's group and 16.7 ± 10 in the control group. In the patient's group, the CRP levels were higher compared with that of the control group (8.2 ± 13, 4.5 ± 4, respectively). We found a statistically significant positive correlation between MPV with arthritis (r = .310,P = .004), nephritis (r = .446,P < .001), central nervous system involvement (r = .241,P = .027), vasculitis (r = .228,P = .037) and SLEDAI (r = .329,P = .002). In our study, we found increased levels of MPV in patients with SLE. Also, we observed a positive correlation among MPV with sedimentation, CRP, clinical manifestations and SLEDAI.

CONCLUSION

We consider that MPV may be a new activation indicator for the SLE.