Evaluation of Platelet Parameters in Patients With Coronary Artery Disease

Abstract

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is one of the leading causes of death worldwide; therefore, identifying new risk factors to predict the severity of the disease is thought to be associated with mortality reduction. In an effort to investigate whether platelet parameters are related to the extent of CAD and can be considered as risk factors, we designed experiments to evaluate platelet parameters in these patients. In a cross‐sectional study, sixty-nine patients with CAD (including fifty-two patients with acute coronary syndrome and seventeen patients with stable angina) and sixty-four healthy volunteers were evaluated for platelet count, mean platelet volume (MPV), and platelet distribution width (PDW). Echocardiography, electrocardiogram (ECG), and coronary angiography were conducted as well. Results showed significantly higher values for MPV and PDW in patients with acute coronary syndrome as compared to patients with stable angina and healthy volunteers (P<0.001 and P=0.009, respectively). There was no significant difference in platelet count between patients and healthy volunteers (P=0.379). Our results also revealed a significant difference in the ejection fraction (EF) percentage between the three groups (P=0.008). Investigating the correlation between platelet parameters and EF percentage, ECG changes, and the results of coronary angiography did not show any significant association. The present study showed that the elevated levels of MPV and PDW in patients with CAD are not related to the extent of coronary artery disease, which was estimated by echocardiography, ECG changes, and coronary angiography. Thus, these parameters cannot be considered as risk factors for coronary artery disease.