The evaluation of mean platelet volume in infants with atopic dermatitis

Abstract

Aim: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic, inflammatory skin disorder that commonly seen in the infancy period. Platelets are involved in the inflammation process. Mean platelet volume (MPV) is one of the inflammatory indicators that have been used in recent years. The aim of this study is to evaluate the relationship between the MPV and AD in infants. Material and Methods: Sixty-four infants with AD aged between 2-12 months and, 50 healthy infants as control with same age and sex were included to study. MPV values of the subjects were compared between the groups. The AD group was also divided into 3 subgroups according to the Severity Scoring of Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD) index. Correlation analyses of MPV were performed to each group. Results: MPV levels were significantly lower in infants with AD when compared to healthy control (9.64±0.65 and 10.20±0.91, respectively, p<0.00). Both platelet and monocyte levels were significantly low in AD infants (p=0.037 and p=0.00, respectively). We also found that there was a positive correlation between platelet counts and the SCORAD index (r=0.259, p=0.039) Conclusion: A decline in MPV and platelets may be considered as an indicator of inflammation in infants with AD.