Synonym
Tubes
- Lavender top tube or EDTA microtainer
- 5 mL of whole blood
Info
Platelets are non-nucleated, cytoplasmic, round or oval disks formed from megakaryocytes (large, multinucleated cells).
Platelet activity is necessary for:
- Blood clotting (hemostasis and thrombus formation)
- Vascular integrity
- Vasoconstriction
- Adhesion
- Aggregation
Mean Platelet Volume (MPV):
- Is a measure of the average size of the platelets (in units of fL)
- MPV is useful in the differential diagnosis of thrombocytopenia or thrombocytosis
Clinical
Clinical utility:
- To evaluate platelet production
- To assess effects of chemotherapy or radiation therapy on platelet production
- To diagnose and monitor thrombocytosis or thrombocytopenia
- To confirm visual estimate of platelet number and morphology from peripheral blood smear
Additional information:
- Normally, two thirds of all the body platelets are found in circulating blood and one third in the spleen
- Platelets are formed in bone marrow and have a life span of 7 days
Nl Result
Consult your laboratory for their normal ranges as these may vary somewhat from the ones listed below.
Platelet Count:
| Conv. Units
(× 103/mm3) | SI Units
(× 109/L) |
|---|
| Adult | 140–400 | 140–400 |
| Children | 150–450 | 150–450 |
| Neonate/Infant | 150–475 | 150–475 |
| Cord/Premee | 100–300 | 100–300 |
MPV:
| Conv. Units
(µm3) | SI Units
(fL) |
|---|
| Adult | 7.0–10.4 | 7.0–10.4 |
| Children | 7.2–10.4 | 7.2–10.4 |
High Result
Conditions associated with an increased platelet count include:
- High altitudes
- Persistent cold temperatures
- Primary Thrombocytosis
- Myeloproliferative Disorders
- Polycythemia Vera
- Chronic Granulocytic Leukemia
- Hemolytic Anemia
- Myelosclerosis
- Essential Thrombocythemia
- Reactive Thrombocytosis
- Infection
- Acute Blood Loss
- Disseminated Carcinoma
- Splenectomy (e.g. in Hereditary Spherocytosis)
- Tissue Damage
- Chronic Inflammation
- Surgery
- Burns
- Pre-eclampsia
- Hypothermia
- Iron Deficiency
- Strenuous exercise
Drugs that may increase platelet count include:
- Alglucerase
- Amoxapine
- Auranofin
- Cephalosporins
- Clindamycin
- Clozapine
- Danazol
- Diltiazem
- Dipyridamole
- Donepezil
- Epoetin alfa
- Ertapenem
- Erythropoietin
- Estropipate
- Etretinate
- Fludarabine
- Gemfibrozil
- Glucocorticoids
- Imipenem/cilastin
- Immune globulin
- Indinavir
- Interferon Alfa-2A
- Isotretinoin
- Lansoprazole
- Lithium
- Lomefloxacin
- Megestrol
- Meropenem
- Mesalamine
- Methylprednisolone
- Metoprolol
- Metyrosine
- Miconazole
- Moxalactam
- Netilmicin
- Ofloxacin
- Oral contraceptives
- Paroxetine
- Penicillamine
- Pergolide
- Propranolol
- Steroids
- Ticlopidine
- Venlafaxine
- Zalcitabine
- Zidovudine
Conditions with increased MPV include:
- Acute and CML
- Hemorrhage
- Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP)
- Megaloblastic anemia
- Myeloproliferative disorders
- Prosthetic heart valve
- Sepsis
- Splenectomy
- Vasculitis
Low Result
Causes of decreased platelet count/thrombocytopenia include:
- Decreased Production
- Marrow Depression
- Aplastic Anemia
- Drugs as listed below
- HIV
- Radiation
- Marrow Infiltration
- Acute Leukemia
- Carcinoma Myelofibrosis
- Multiple Myeloma
- Megaloblastic Anemia
- Congenital
- Bernard-Soulier Syndrome
- Fanconi Syndrome
- Gaucher's Disease
- Hereditary Thrombocytopenia resembling ITP
- Immune Deficiency States
- May-Hegglin Anomaly
- Thrombocytopenia with Absent Radius
- Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome
- Excessive Pooling - Hypersplenism
- Increased Destruction: Immunologic
- Alloimmune
- Neonatal Thrombocytopenia
- Post Transfusion Purpura
- Antigen-Antibody Complexes
- Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
- Lymphoma
- Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
- Autoimmune
- Evans' Syndrome
- Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP)
- Infectious Mononucleosis
- Increased Destruction: Others
- Coagulopathies
- Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation
- Eclampsia
- Heart Valve
- Hemolytic-Uremic Syndrome
- Large or Multiple Hemangiomas
- Septicemia
- Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura
- Dilution - Exchange Transfusion
- Drugs as listed below
- Heparin Induced
- Infection
- Prematurity
- Severe Hemorrhage
- Spurious:
- Large Platelets
- Platelet Aggregation
Drugs and substances which may decrease platelet counts include:
- Abciximab
- Acetaminophen
- Acetazolamide
- Albendazole
- Albuterol
- Aldesleukin
- Alemtuzumab
- Allopurinol
- Altretamine
- Aminocaproic acid
- Aminoglutethimide
- Amiodarone
- Amitriptyline
- Amphotericin B
- Amrinone
- Anagrelide
- Anticonvulsants
- Antineoplastic agents
- Ardeparin
- Arsenic trioxide
- Asparaginase
- Aspirin
- Auranofin
- Aurothioglucose
- Azathioprine
- Azithromycin
- Bactrim
- Bacampicillin
- Barbiturates
- Basiliximab
- BCG vaccine
- Benazepril
- Benzthiazide
- Betaxolol
- Bicalutamide
- Bismuth subsalicylate
- Bleomycin
- Bupropion
- Candesartan
- Capecitabine
- Capreomycin
- Captopril
- Carbamazepine
- Carmustine
- Carvedilol
- Cephalosporins
- Cetirizine
- Chlorambucil
- Chloramphenicol
- Chlordiazepoxide
- Chloroquine
- Chlorothiazide
- Chlorpheniramine
- Chlorpromazine
- Chlorpropamide
- Chlortetracycline
- Chlorthalidone
- Cimetidine
- Cladribine
- Clemastine
- Clindamycin
- Clofibrate
- Clomipramine
- Clonazepam
- Clopidogrel
- Codeine
- Colchicines
- Co-trimoxazole
- Cyclobenzaprine
- Cyclophosphamide
- Cyproheptadine
- Cytarabine
- Dacarbazine
- Dactinomycin
- Dalteparin
- Danazol
- Demeclocycline
- Desipramine
- Dextroamphetamine
- Diazoxide
- Diclofenac
- Didanosine
- Diethylpropion
- Diethylstilbestrol
- Digitalis
- Digitoxin
- Diltiazem
- Diphenhydramine
- Disopyramide
- Docetaxel
- Donepezil
- Doxepin
- Doxorubicin
- Doxycycline
- Eflornithine
- Enalapril
- Enoxaparin
- Epirubicin
- Eprosartan
- Erythromycin
- Esomeprazole
- Estramustine
- Etanercept
- Ethacrynic acid
- Ethchlorvynol
- Ethosuximide
- Etidronate
- Etoposide
- Etretinate
- Factor VII A
- Famotidine
- Fenoprofen
- Flecainide
- Fluconazole
- Flucytosine
- Fludarabine
- Fluorouracil
- Fluphenazine
- Fluvastatin
- Fluvoxamine
- Fomivirsen
- Fondaparinux
- Fosphenytoin
- Furosemide
- Gabapentin
- Galantamine
- Ganciclovir
- Gatifloxacin
- Gemcitabine
- Gentamicin
- Glimepiride
- Glyburide
- Gold
- Granisetron
- Hepatitis B vaccine
- Hydralazine
- Hydrochlorothiazide
- Hydroxychloroquine
- Hydroxyurea
- Ibuprofen
- Idarubicin
- Ifosfamide
- Imatinib
- Imipenem/cilastin
- Imipramine
- Immunoglobulin
- Indinavir
- Indomethacin
- Infliximab
- Interferon Alfa-2A
- Interleukin-2
- Irinotecan
- Isoniazid
- Isosorbide dinitrate
- Isotretinoin
- Itraconazole
- Ketoprofen
- Lamivudine
- Lamotrigine
- Lansoprazole
- Lepirudin
- Levamisole
- Levodopa
- Lincomycin
- Lisinopril
- Lomefloxacin
- Lomustine
- Loracarbef
- Lovastatin
- Loxapine
- Maprotiline
- Measles virus vaccine
- Mechlorethamine
- Mefenamic acid
- Mefloquine
- Meloxicam
- Melphalan
- Meprobamate
- Mercaptopurine
- Meropenem
- Mesalamine
- Mesoridazine
- Metformin
- Methazolamide
- Methicillin
- Methimazole
- Methotrexate
- Methsuximide
- Methyclothiazide
- Methyldopa
- Methylphenidate
- Methysergide
- Metoprolol
- Metronidazole
- Metyrosine
- Mexiletine
- Milrinone
- Minocycline
- Mirtazapine
- Misoprostol
- Mitomycin
- Mitoxantrone
- Moricizine
- Morphine
- Moxalactam
- Mumps virus vaccine
- Muromonab-CD3
- Mycophenolate
- Nabumetone
- Nalidixic acid
- Naproxen
- Netilmicin
- Nevirapine
- Niacin
- Nicardipine
- Nitrofurantoin
- Nitroglycerin
- Nizatidine
- Norfloxacin
- Nortriptyline
- Nystatin
- Ofloxacin
- Olsalazine
- Omeprazole
- Orphenadrine
- Oxacillin
- Oxytetracycline
- Paclitaxel
- Pamidronate
- Pegaspargase
- Pemoline
- Penicillamine
- Penicillins
- Pentamidine
- Pentostatin
- Pentoxifylline
- Pergolide
- Perphenazine
- Phenobarbital
- Phenothiazines
- Pindolol
- Piroxicam
- Plicamycin
- Polio virus vaccine
- Polythiazide
- Potassium iodide
- Pravastatin
- Prednisone
- Primidone
- Probenecid
- Procainamide
- Procarbazine
- Promazine
- Promethazine
- Propafenone
- Propranolol
- Propylthiouracil
- Protriptyline
- Pyrazinamide
- Pyrimethamine
- Quazepam
- Quinidine
- Quinupristin/dalfopristin
- Rabeprazole
- Raloxifene
- Ramipril
- Reserpine
- Rifampin
- Risperidone
- Rivastigmine
- Rubella virus vaccine
- Saquinavir
- Sargramostim
- Septra
- Sirolimus
- Smallpox vaccine
- Spironolactone
- Stavudine
- Streptomycin
- Streptozocin
- Sulfamethoxazole
- Sulfasalazine
- Sulfisoxazole
- Sulfonylureas
- Sulindac
- Tacrolimus
- Tamoxifen
- Temozolomide
- Tetracycline
- Thiabendazole
- Thiazides
- Thioguanine
- Thioridazine
- Thiotepa
- Thiothixene
- Ticlopidine
- Timolol
- Tinzaparin
- Tobramycin
- Tocainide
- Tolazamide
- Tolazoline
- Tolbutamide
- Tolcapone
- Tolmetin
- Topotecan
- Toremifene
- Tranylcypromine
- Trastuzumab
- Trichlormethiazide
- Trifluoperazine
- Trimethoprim
- Trimetrexate
- Trimipramine
- Tripelennamine
- Trovafloxacin
- Uracil mustard
- Valdecoxib
- Valganciclovir
- Valproic acid
- Vancomycin
- Vinblastine
- Vincristine
- Vinorelbine
- Zidovudine
- Zolmitriptan
Conditions associated with decreased MPV include:
References
- Akca S et al. Time course of platelet counts in critically ill patients. Crit Care Med. 2002 Apr;30(4):753-6.
- Beechi C et al. Mean platelet volume trend in sepsis: is it a useful parameter? Minerva Anestesiol 2006 Sep;72(9):749-56
- Kaito K et al. Platelet size deviation width, platelet large cell ratio, and mean platelet volume have sufficient sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis of immune thrombocytopenia.: Br J Haematol. 2005 Mar;128(5):698-702
- MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia®. Platelet Count. [Homepage on the Internet]©2005. Last updated on February 3, 2005. Last accessed on October 17, 2006. Available at URL: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003647.htm
- Niethammer A G et al. Use of the platelet histogram maximum in evaluating thrombocytopenia. Am J Hematol 1999 Jan;60(1):19-23
- N Valade et al. Thrombocytosis after trauma: incidence, aetiology, and clinical significance. British Journal of Anaesthesia 2005 94(1):18-23; doi:10.1093/bja/aeh286
- Soogarun S et al. Blood carboxyhemoglobin level and platelets: a correlation study. Clin Appl Thromb Hemost. 2004 Jul;10(3):281-3.