The evaluation of mean platelet volume levels in patients with primary and secondary Raynaud's Phenomenon

Background - Mean platelet volume (MPV) is an indicator of platelet activation. The pathophysiology of the primary and secondary Raynaud's Phenomenon (RP) have not been completely established. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between MPV and RP. Materials and Methods - Our study was a prospective randomized study carried out from January 2011 to March 2012. The study group consisted of 39 patients: 27 (70%) patients having primary, 12 (30%) patients having secondary RP. An age-, gender-, and body mass index-matched control group consisted of 40 healthy participants. We compared the MPV in patients with RP and control participants statistically. Results - MPV of RP group was 8.79 +/- 1.37 femtoliter (fL) while MPV of control group was 8.39 +/- 1.36 fL. Comparison of MPV of RP group and control group showed no difference (p = 0.274). The mean of MPV was significantly higher among patients with secondary RP (9.76 +/- 1.68 fl) when compared with patients with primary RP (8.37 +/- 0.96 fl) (p = 0.018). Conclusion - The results of our study suggest that MPV may be used as a marker in secondary RP.