Abstract

Objective: Platelet activation and consumption are common in critically ill patients and are associated with poorer prognosis. Inflammatory and thrombotic conditions may alter platelet size, which can be detected on routine blood cell analysis by evaluation of mean platelet volume. The aim of the present study was to investigate the evaluation of platelet parameters as a predictor of all-cause mortality in cardiac intensive care unit (ICU) patients. Methods: Platelet count and mean platelet volume were measured daily in cardiac ICU and were classified in three categories of thrombocytopenia, according to the average value of platelet count during hospitalization: mild (100-149 X 109/L), moderate (50-99 X 109/L) and severe (hematological disease, who have had previous use of steroids or chemotherapy, those that were readmitted after hospital discharge and patients who died in the first 24 hrs after admission. A correlation analysis was performed to identify independent predictors of mortality. Results: We included 165 patients (61 ± 16 years, 55.8% male, average length of stay in ICU was 10 ± 10 days). In total, 42 (25.4%) out of the 165 patients showed platelet count

Keywords: Cardiac intensive care unit; Daily platelet parameters; Mean platelet volume (MPV); Platelet count; Sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA); Acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE II); Mortality