Relationship between obesity and platelet indices in children

Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess platelet count, MPV and PDW as metabolic indicator in obese children with or without insuline resistances. Materials and Methods: Two hundered sixtyseven obese patients (160 female) and 50 (25 female) controls were enrolled. Anthropometric measurements, triglyceride, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), uric acid, hemoglobin, platelet count, MPV, PDW and insulin resistance by using homeostasis model of assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and oral glucose tolerance test were investigated. Results: Uric acid level were significantly higher in the obese group while there was no statistically significantly differences in platelet indices between in the two groups. Platelet counts, MPV and PDW levels were not significantly different between in three groups. However MPV inversely correlated with HOMA-IR, platelet counts, ALT and LDL levels and positively correlated with PDW. Conclusion: The relationship between platelets, MPV, PDW has previously been demonstrated. However platelet indices may not to be related to degree of obesity as currently thought. Uric acid may be a more useful marker for selected patients with insulin resistance.