The values of mean platelet volume and the mean platelet volume/platelet ratio for predicting deep venous thrombosis in Behcet's disease

Background: Behcet's disease (BD) is a systemic vasculitis of all types of vessels of both the venous and arterial sites. Mean platelet volume (MPV) is the most commonly used measure of platelet (Plt) size and is also a potential marker of Plt activity. In this study, we wanted to evaluate the MPV value and the MPV/Plt ratio in patients with deep venous thrombosis (DVT) in BD. Methods: Overall, 228 patients - 49 BD patients with a thrombotic complication and 179 BD patients without a thrombotic complication (as the control group) - were included the study. Results: Of the 49 patients with thrombosis, there was a very significant difference between the genders: 41 (83.6%) were males while only eight (16.4%) were females (p < 0.0001). There was a statistically significant difference among the patients with and without thrombosis according to the median MPV value and the MPV/Plt ratio (p < 0.0001). Conclusions: Increased MPV can predict the risk of DVT development as well as the male sex among BD patients. The MPV/Plt ratio may also be used for predicting DVT.