Prominent features of platelet count, plateletcrit, mean platelet volume and platelet distribution width in pulmonary tuberculosis

Abstract

BackgroundWe aimed to investigate the relation of platelet count (PLT) and plateletcrit (PCT), mean platelet volume (MPV) and platelet distribution width (PDW) with other acute phase reactants and radiological extent in pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB).MethodsOne hundred patients with PTB (Group 1), 50 patients with community-acquired pneumonia (Group 2) and 28 healthy control individuals (Group 3) were included in this analytic study.ResultsWBC (White Blood Cell), ESR (Eritrocyte Sedimentation Rate), CRP (C-Reactive Protein), PLT and PCT values were both in Group 1 and Group 2 than in Group 3. PDW values were significantly higher in Group 1 than Group 3. WBC, ESR and CRP values were lower, while PLT and PCT values were higher in the Group 1 compared to Group 2 (p < 0.001). PLT was positively correlated with CRP and ESR values in the tuberculosis group (p < 0.001), while it was not correlated with CRP and ESR in the pneumonia group (p > 0.05). ESR, CRP, PLT and PCT values were found higher in radiological advanced stage (Stage 3) patients with PTB, while hemoglobin (Hb) was found lower (p < 0.05). Higher WBC, ESR, CRP and PCT values as well as radiological advanced stage were more common in PTB patients with thrombocytosis compared to the patients with normal platelet count, whereas Hb was found lower in these patients.ConclusionsThis study indicates that reactive thrombocytosis and higher PCT and PDW develop frequently in PTB and there is a relation between thrombocytosis and acute phase reactants, that is the inflammatory response. In addition, tuberculosis with radiological advanced stage is seen more frequently in the patients with thrombocytosis and higher PCT, drawing attention to the possible role of platelets in the cell-based immune process of tuberculosis.

The Relationship Between Inflammatory Marker Levels and Pulmonary Tuberculosis Severity

“…Most often, it was observed that patients with severe tuberculosis had anemia, elevated ESR, and thrombocytosis [18]. Other studies also reported that patients with advanced pulmonary TB demonstrated anemia, leukocytosis, elevated ESR, and thrombocytosis [5,[19][20][21][22][23]. In our study, we found that NLR, RDW, ESR, and CRP values are higher in patients with advanced stage PTB when compared to patients with mild to moderate PTB.…”

“…Patients with PTB were classified according to the extent of disease evident on chest radiography: stage 1 was minimal to mild disease, stage 2 was moderate disease, and stage 3 was advanced disease [5,16,17]. Lesions were considered minimal if there was no evidence of cavitation and the lesions were of slight to moderate density located above the second chondrosternal junction.…”

“…Yet in order to develop such a test, it is necessary to determine biomarkers that are both highly specific and sensitive in detecting active TB. Recently, several studies suggested that C-reactive protein (CRP), platelet count, plateletcrit (PCT), and platelet distribution width (PDW) may be potential biomarkers of PTB severity [3][4][5].…”

Mean platelet volume in the differential diagnosis of tuberculous and bacterial meningitis

“…A study of 82 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis found an elevated MPV compared to controls and also a correlation between MPV and radiological disease [20]. When compared to patients with bacterial pneumonia, pulmonary tuberculosis patients showed higher MPV and platelet counts [3]. However, other studies have found contrasting results.…”

“…There is evidence that suggests that MPV behaves differently in bacterial infections compared to other etiologies, and that pulmonary tuberculosis is associated with changes in platelet counts and MPV [2,3]. We hypothesized that these parameters could be of use in the differential diagnosis of bacterial (BM) and tuberculous meningitis (TBM).…”