Study of Platelet Parameters in the Assessment of Disease Severity in IBD: Ulcerative Colitis

Background: Platelets are increasingly recognized as important inflammatory markers. This study explores the association between platelet indices and disease severity in ulcerative colitis (UC). Objective: To evaluate platelet parameters in patients with newly diagnosed UC and assess their correlation with disease severity indices. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted at IMS & SUM Hospital, Bhubaneswar, between October 2022 and September 2024. A total of 62 newly diagnosed UC patients aged over 18 years were included. Disease severity was evaluated using Truelove and Witts (TLW) criteria, Mayo Disease Activity Index (Mayo DAI), and Ulcerative Colitis Endoscopic Index of Severity (UCEIS). Platelet count, mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet distribution width (PDW), platelet mass index (PMI), and platelet large cell ratio (PLCR) were measured. Statistical analysis included Pearson correlation, ROC curves, and sensitivity/specificity assessment. Results: The majority of patients were male (81%) with a mean age of 28.2 years. A significant positive correlation was observed between platelet count and disease severity by UCEIS (r = 0.32, p = 0.015) and Mayo DAI (r = 0.35, p = 0.009). PMI showed strong correlations with UCEIS (r = 0.45, p = 0.001) and Mayo DAI (r = 0.48, p < 0.001). MPV was inversely correlated but showed weak significance. PLCR also showed significant correlations. ROC analysis revealed platelet count (AUC = 0.815) and PLCR (AUC = 0.729) as good predictors of disease severity. Conclusion: Platelet parameters, particularly PMI, PLCR, and platelet count, may serve as accessible, non-invasive biomarkers for assessing disease severity in UC. Further studies with larger cohorts are warranted.