Aim of the study. To evaluate platelet (as the immune cell) count and mean platelet volume (MPV) in the blood of patients with different asthma phenotypes and estimate the possible correlation with the most common lung function parameters measured in spirometry.
Material and methods. Retrospective study: according to the asthma phenotype of the disease necessary clinical and laboratory data was collected from ambulatory medical documentation of the patients with asthma.
Results. Platelet count (257.77±5.13 vs. 234.60±8.74 (x109/L), p=0.025) and MPV (10.71±0.08 vs. 9.90±0.22 (fL), p=0.001) was higher in the blood of asthma patients compared to the healthy subjects. Patients with allergic asthma had higher MPV values than with non-allergic asthma (10.83±0.09 vs. 10.50±0.12 (fL), p=0.038). Platelet count was higher in eosinophilic asthma group compared to non-eosinophilic asthma (266.20±7.18 vs. 245.62±7.33 (x109/L), p=0.049) and higher in poorly controlled asthma group compared to well-controlled asthma (284.18±14.74 vs. 241.50±12.22 (x109/L), p=0.033). Patients who suffer from asthma and allergic conjunctivitis and the ones who suffer from asthma, allergic rhinitis, conjunctivitis and dermatitis had higher MPV than the ones with asthma only (10.99±0.14 vs. 10.61±0.09 (x109/L), p=0.040; 11.39±0.33 vs. 10.58±0.13 (x109/L), p = 0.037). Platelet count had a negative correlation with lung parameters: with FEV1(l) (p=0.008) and FVC(l) (p=0.005).
Conclusions. It can be assumed that platelets are involved in the pathogenesis of asthma because platelet count and MPV was higher in the blood of asthma patients compared to the healthy subjects and differs depending on asthma phenotype.
