Study of Platelet Indices as Predictive Markers of Thrombocytopenic Conditions

Abstract

Aim: To evaluate the utility of platelet indices, including mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet distribution width (PDW), and platelet-large cell ratio (P-LCR), as predictive markers for differentiating thrombocytopenic conditions and assessing their severity.
Material and Methods: This prospective observational study was conducted at a tertiary care hospital with 130 participants presenting with thrombocytopenia (platelet count <150,000/µL). Participants were categorized into immune thrombocytopenia (ITP), infectious thrombocytopenia, and other etiologies. Platelet indices were measured using an automated hematologyanalyzer. Statistical analyses, including receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, were used to evaluate the diagnostic utility of platelet indices.
Results: The mean age of participants was 38.67 ± 12.45 years, with a male predominance (58.46%). Infectious thrombocytopenia was the most common category (46.15%), followed by ITP (36.92%). MPV was highest in the ITP group (12.45 ± 1.67 fL, p = 0.003), while platelet count was lowest in this group (85.67 ± 22.45 × 10³/µL, p < 0.001). ROC analysis showed MPV had the highest sensitivity (82.35%) and specificity (74.56%), with an AUC of 0.78. Platelet indices, including PDW and P-LCR, significantly increased with the severity of thrombocytopenia (p < 0.05), while plateletcrit decreased inversely.
Conclusion: Platelet indices are valuable diagnostic markers for differentiating thrombocytopenic conditions and assessing disease severity. MPV, in particular, demonstrated high diagnostic accuracy, emphasizing its potential role in clinical decision-making. These indices, being cost-effective and readily available, are practical tools for resource-limited healthcare settings.