Mean platelet volume (MPV) is associated with higher risk of death

The recent study by Panova-Noeva et al provides novel and important insights regarding platelet biology and its relationship with thrombosis. Higher MPV values were found to be significantly associated with a number of genetic polymorphisms and clinical factors, including age, smoking, hypertension, and glucose levels in men, and oral contraceptives and menstruation in women. Seven single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in women and four SNPs in men were also found to be significant determinants of larger platelet size. Even more interestingly, multivariable linear regression analysis revealed that the combination of these clinical and genetic determinants explained up to 20% of total MPV variance in both sexes. Notably, a substantially higher mortality rate was also observed in individuals with MPV above the upper limit of the reference range (ie, >10.1 fL) during a median follow-up period of 5.0 years. Overall, each 1-fL increase in MPV was independently associated with a 16% higher risk of death.
 
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Genetic and nongenetic determinants of mean platelet volume

Source: Blood Journal