Significant changes in platelet count, volume and size in acute aortic dissection

Mean platelet volume (MPV) and platelet size distribution width (PDW) are markers of platelet (PLT) size and variability in PLT size as well as PLT activation [ 1 Bath P.M. Butterworth R.J. Platelet size: measurement, physiology and vascular disease. Blood Coagul Fibrinolysis. 1996; 7: 157-161 Crossref PubMed Scopus (629) Google Scholar , 2 Chu S.G. Becker R.C. Berger P.B. et al. Mean platelet volume as a predictor of cardiovascular risk: a systemic review and meta-analysis. J Thromb Haemost. 2010; 8: 148-156 Crossref PubMed Scopus (715) Google Scholar , 3 Gasparyan A.Y. Ayvazyan L. Mikhailidis D.P. Kitas G.D. Mean platelet volume: a link between thrombosis and inflammation?. Curr Pharm Des. 2011; 17: 47-58 Crossref PubMed Scopus (891) Google Scholar ]. Reduced PLT count and increased MPV values have been reported in unruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms [ 4 Balduini C.L. Salvini M. Montani N. et al. Activation of the hemostatic process in patients with unruptured aortic aneurysm before and in the first week after surgical repair. Haematologica. 1997; 82: 581-583 PubMed Google Scholar , 5 Milne A.A. Adam D.J. Murphy W.G. Ruckley C.V. Effects of asymptomatic abdominal aortic aneurysm on the soluble coagulation system, platelet count and platelet activation. Eur J Vasc Endovasc Surg. 1999; 17: 434-437 Abstract Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (23) Google Scholar ]. Others, however, have noted lower PLT indices (MPV and PDW) in patients with aortic aneurysm compared to age-matched controls [ [6] Ihara A. Matsumoto K. Kawamoto T. et al. Evaluation of platelet indexes in patients with aortic aneurysm. Pathophysiol Haemost Thromb. 2005; 34: 269-273 Crossref PubMed Scopus (13) Google Scholar ]. High-grade inflammation is associated with low MPV whereas low-grade inflammation is associated with high MPV; inflammation may play a role in pathogenesis of aneurysm formation and rupture [ [3] Gasparyan A.Y. Ayvazyan L. Mikhailidis D.P. Kitas G.D. Mean platelet volume: a link between thrombosis and inflammation?. Curr Pharm Des. 2011; 17: 47-58 Crossref PubMed Scopus (891) Google Scholar ]. We studied PLT indices in patients with acute aortic dissection (AAD), chronic aortic aneurysms and age and sex matched normal subjects.