Correlation between Mean Platelet Volume and Severity of Sepsis in Patients Admitted in the Intensive Care Unit at KLE’s Dr. Prabhakar Kore Hospital and Medical Research Centre, Belagavi – A 1-year Cross-sectional Study

Abstract Introduction: Sepsis is characterized by life-threatening organ dysfunction triggered by an exaggerated host response to infection. The severity of sepsis can be assessed using the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) scoring system within the first 24 h of intensive care unit (ICU) admission, with higher scores correlating to poorer outcomes. During the inflammatory cascade of sepsis, there is a sophisticated interplay between the immune and hemostatic systems. Platelets, primarily involved in hemostasis, undergo distinctive morphological changes in response to inflammatory mediators. These changes can be quantitatively evaluated using platelet indices such as mean platelet volume (MPV), which are routinely measured using complete blood count analyzers. Materials and Methods: This study included 126 adult patients admitted to our hospital’s ICU, diagnosed with sepsis according to the Sepsis-3 guidelines. MPV was measured on admission day. Clinical and laboratory parameters needed for calculating the APACHE II score were collected. Statistical analyses were performed to compare MPV with the calculated APACHE II score and other parameters, leading to conclusions drawn from the results. Results: A significant positive correlation was observed between MPV and the APACHE II score ( P = 0.002), indicating that higher MPV upon admission correlated with a higher APACHE II score. In addition, there was a positive correlation between MPV and male gender ( P = 0.048). Furthermore, a correlation was found between MPV and length of hospital stay, where higher MPV was associated with a longer duration of hospitalization, irrespective of outcome ( P = 0.038). Conclusion: MPV on admission can be used to prognosticate cases of sepsis and guide clinical decision-making.