MEAN PLATELET VOLUME AS A COST-EFFECTIVE BIOMARKER FOR CARDIOVASCULAR RISK STRATIFICATION IN TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY OF 933 SUBJECTS

Diabetes mellitus is a major global health problem affecting over 463 million people worldwide. The mortality and morbidity associated with diabetes is mainly due to vascular disorders which can be traced back to platelet activity and aggregation potential. Mean platelet volume (MPV), measured by hematology analyzers, serves as a marker of platelet function and activation. Aim: To compare MPV between patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and normoglycemic individuals and establish its correlation with glycemic control parameters. Materials and Methods: This observational prospective study included 386 diabetic patients and 547 normoglycemic controls over six months. Blood samples were analyzed for MPV using Sysmex-XT 2000i hematology analyzer. HbA1c values were determined using D10 Biorad system. Statistical analysis included unpaired t-tests, correlation analysis, and multivariate regression using GraphPad Prism software. Results: Mean MPV was significantly higher in diabetics compared to controls (10.34 ± 0.9 fL vs 8.1 ± 0.3 fL, p<0.0001). Strong positive correlations were observed between MPV and HbA1c levels (r=0.742, p<0.0001), fasting glucose (r=0.681, p<0.0001), and diabetes duration (r=0.598, p<0.0001). Diabetic patients with complications showed higher MPV values than those without complications (11.2 ± 1.1 fL vs 9.8 ± 0.8 fL, p<0.001). Conclusion: Elevated MPV reflects platelet hyperactivity leading to increased thrombotic vascular complications in diabetic patients. MPV demonstrates strong correlation with glycemic control and can serve as an independent predictor of diabetic complications. This cost-effective parameter should be routinely evaluated for cardiovascular risk stratification.