The platelet indices in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: Mean platelet volume reflects disease activity

• Published in: Platelets (Edinburgh) Vol. 21; no. 2; pp. 122 - 125
• Main Authors: Yazici, S., Yazici, M., Erer, B., Calik, Y., Ozhan, H., Ataoglu, S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Informa UK Ltd 2010; Taylor & Francis
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Antirheumatic Agents - therapeutic use; Arthritis, Rheumatoid - blood; Arthritis, Rheumatoid - drug therapy; Arthritis, Rheumatoid - pathology; Arthritis, Rheumatoid - physiopathology; Biomarkers - blood; Blood Platelets - cytology; Cell Size; Female; Humans; Inflammation - blood; Inflammation - pathology; Inflammation - physiopathology; Male; Mean platelet volume; Middle Aged; rheumatoid arthritis; Severity of Illness Index; Treatment Outcome; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - antagonists & inhibitors; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - immunology
• ISSN: 0953-7104; 1369-1635
• DOI: 10.3109/09537100903474373

The present study was designed to investigate the interaction between platelet indices, inflammatory markers and disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) subjects. The effects of anti-TNF- therapy and conventional treatment on platelet indices were also compared. We studied 97 patients with RA (19 men, 78 women: mean age 51 years) and 33 age and sex-matched healthy subjects as a control group. All RA patients were administered conventional therapy. After 3 months of therapy, 35 subjects who had high disease activity score (DAS28 > 5.1) were grouped as non-responders and were administered infliximab as a TNF- blocker at the standard intravenous dose. Responders to the conventional therapy and non-responders were also compared. At baseline white blood cell (WBC), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), platelet count and mean platelet volume (MPV) were significantly higher in patients with RA. Mean platelet volume was positively correlated with DAS28 score (r = 0.27; p = 0.007). These markers of inflammation and platelet indices were substantially decreased after therapy. The reductions were similar in responders to conventional therapy and non-responders (TNF alpha group). In conclusion, we found that MPV was correlated with inflammatory markers and disease activity in patients with RA. Both anti-TNF-alpha and conventional therapy decreases markers of inflammation and platelet indices. MPV can reflect both disease activity and response to treatment.