Endocrine Abstracts

Aim: Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT) is an autoimmune disease in which a breakdown of immune tolerance is caused by interplay of a variety of immunologic, genetic, and environmental factors. Mean platelet volume (MPV) is the measure of platelet size. MPV possibly is a simple way to estimate platelet activity. Activated platelets play an important role in the pathogenesis of vascular disease especially coronary heart diseases. Larger platelets are metabolically and enzymatically more active and have greater protrombotic potential. In this study we aimed to investigate MPV levels in euthyroid Hashimoto’s thyroiditis patients.

Materials and methods: Fifty-one euthyroid patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis attending to our outpatient clinic of endocrinology department and 51 age and body mass index matched healty subjects were included this study. All patients with HT were euthyroid state. Anti-thyroid peroxidase (anti-TPO) antibody and anti-tiroglobulin (Anti-Tg) antibody were positive. All the study subjects were evaluated by biochemical and platelet parameters.

Results: There were no significant differences in age (33.88±12.87 and 30.18±12.43 year respectively P>0.05) and BMI(23.55±3.34 and 22.25±3.65 kg/m² respectively P>0.05) between study and control groups. Anti-TPO and anti-Tg levels were significantly higher in study group (anti-TPO 428.32±668.39 IU/ml in HT group; 14.85±9.66 IU/ml in control group, P=0.001; Anti-Tg 320.46±796.05 IU/ml in HT group, 21.28±26.24 IU/ml in control group, P=0.09). There were no significant differences in term of serum FT₃ (3.10±0.37; 3.29±0.76 pg/ml), FT₄ (1.22±0.42; 1.46±0.78 pg/ml), and TSH (1.76±0.79; 1.85±1.14 uIU/ml respectively) levels between study and control group. Serum trigliyceride levels were significantly higher in study group than control group (133.81±91.50 and 90.18±41.15 mg/dl respectively P=0.015) but serum total cholesterol, fasting glucose, low density lipoprotein and vitamin B12 levels were similiar between two groups. Mean MPV levels was significantly higher in HT group than those control subjects (8.8±1.05 and 7.9±0.79 fl respectively, P=0.0001). To assess the correlation with MPV, a Pearson correlation analysis was performed on each variable. There were positive correlations between anti-TPO and MPV level (r=0.246, P=0.042) and between anti-Tg and MPV level (r=0.256, P=0.033). The multiple regression analysis of MPV and other risk factors was performed. Age, BMI, CRP and waist circumference were independent predictive factors of MPV. Adjustment for other these factors did not alter these relative risks.