Mean platelet volume in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Aim of the study: To evaluate mean platelet volume (MPV) in type 2 diabetic versus non-diabetic patients, as well as to investigate the associations between MPV and diabetic complications. Materials and methods: This study included 416 patients divided into two groups. Group A comprised 265 type 2 diabetic patients ( 131 men) with a mean age of 67.4 +/- 9.5 years and a mean diabetes duration of 14.5 +/- 5.7 years. Group B comprised 151 non-diabetic patients ( 74 men) with a mean age of 68.6 +/- 9.1 years. MPV ( blood samples anticoagulated with sodium citrate) was measured in two blood cell counters (Sysmex SF 3000 and Cell-Dyn 3700). Results: MPV was significantly higher (P=0.01) in group A ( 14.2 +/- 2.2 fl) than in group B ( 7.1 +/- 1.2 fl). In group A MPV was significantly higher ( P=0.043) in patients with retinopathy (15.8 +/- 1.3 fl) than in patients without retinopathy ( 10.9 +/- 1.1 fl) and also significantly higher ( P=0.044) in patients with microalbuminuria (15.6 +/- 1.2 fl) than in patients without microalbuminuria ( 10.1 +/- 1.2 fl). No association, however, was found in group A between MPV and age, gender, duration of diabetes, insulin dependency, BMI, HbA(1c), coronary artery disease or dyslipidaemia. Conclusions: MPV is higher in type 2 diabetic patients than in non-diabetic patients. Among type 2 diabetic patients MPV is higher in those who have microvascular complications ( retinopathy or microalbuminuria).