Objective: To compare the platelet indices in pregnant and non-pregnant females at a tertiary care diagnostic laboratory. Study Design: Comparative cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Rawalpindi Pakistan, from Jul to Dec 2020. Methodology: 166 healthy pregnant females were included in group-1, and 166 non-pregnant healthy females were recruited in group-2. 5 ml of fresh venous blood from the antecubital vein was collected under aseptic conditions in EDTA anticoagulant tubes. This sample was analyzed to determine complete blood counts (TLC, RBC, HB, and Platelet Count) and platelet parameters, namely Platelet distribution width (PDW), Mean platelet volume (MPV) and Plateletcrit (PCT), using an automated haematology analyzer Sysmex XN-3000. Results: A total of 332 patients with a mean age of 26.5 ± 5.12 years were included in the study. Platelet count, PCT and PDW values were higher among group-2 than the pregnant females (p=0.001). MPV was higher among the group-1 females than the group-2 females (p=0.001). The distribution of platelet parameters across the trimesters showed that platelet count and PDW among the trimesters showed a statistically significant difference (p=0.001). Conclusion: Pregnancy brings along many physiological changes in the female body. Various haematological and biochemical changes accompany these changes. MPV, PDW and PCT values were decreased in the pregnancy group. However, MPV was found to be increased as compared to group-2.

Objective: To examine the clinical severity and infarct volume of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) compared to control subjects by comparing the mean platelet volume/platelet count (MPV/PC) ratio. Study Design: Cross-sectional (validation) study. Place and Duration of Study: Acute Stroke Unit, Pak Emirates Military Hospital (PEMH), Rawalpindi, from Jul and Dec 2020. Methodology: This study included 50 consecutive AIS patients (Group-1) and 50 healthy subjects (Group-2). An automated haemanalyser determined MPV and MPV/PC ratios. In addition, a modified Rankin Scale for the severity of AIS and ABC/2 method for infarct volume was used. Results: This study comprised 69 males and 31 females. Statistical analysis showed that MPV and MPV/PC have significantly different mean values between Group-1 and Group-2 at a p-value of 0.001. In addition, according to the Rankin scale, a significant difference of means (p-value <0.001) of MPV and MPV/PC ratio was present between stroke patients with different infarct sizes. A higher CVA score per Rankin scale was associated with greater infarct size and higher MPV and MPV/PC values. Conclusion: Higher MPV and MPV/PC ratios are related to AIS compared to healthy individuals. Even greater MPV and MPV/PC ratio values are associated with increased infarct size. MPV and MPV/PC ratio measurements are simple, rapid, and highly cost-effective laboratory markers for risk stratification and early detection of cerebrovascular stroke.