Assessment of platelet parameters in children with pneumonia

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study is to compare the platelet count, mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet distribution width (PDW) and plateletcrits (PCT) of patients with pneumonia with those of healthy controls, and to investigate the correlation of the disease with other laboratory parameters. Material and Methods: One hundred and ninety child patients with pneumonia and 71 healthy children were included in the study and their platelet parameters were compared, with correlations examined between the clinical and laboratory parameters of patients with pneumonia and platelet parameters. The data analysis was carried out using the SPSS for Windows version 15.0 program Results: No significant difference was observed between the groups in terms of age or gender, while the leucocyte, platelet count and PCT of the patients with pneumonia was statistically significantly higher in the patient group than in the control group (p< 0.05). The MPV and PDW values of the patients with pneumonia were statistically significantly lower than those of the control group (p< 0.05). In the pneumonia and control groups, MPV was found to be significantly positively correlated with age and hemoglobin, but had a significant negative correlation with platelet count (pneumonia group p= 0.046, p= 0.008, p< 0.001; control group p= 0.002, p= 0.019, p= 0.003, respectively). In the pneumonia group, PDW was found to have a significant positive correlation with leucocyte and hemoglobin, and a significant negative correlation with platelet (p= 0.006, p= 0.018 p< 0.001, respectively). On the other hand, PCT was identified to have a statistically significant positive correlation only with platelet (p< 0.001). The patients were divided into two groups based on hospitalization duration. No significant difference was observed in the platelets parameters of the two groups. Conclusion: Significant differences were identified between the patients with pneumonia and the healthy controls in terms of platelet parameters. Further studies are required to confirm whether platelet volume parameters are decisive laboratory parameters for the follow-up of pneumonia.