Mean platelet volume as an inflammatory marker in patients with severe periodontitis

Periodontitis has become the leading cause of tooth loss in adults, and the host's immunologic and inflammatory response to the bacteria can lead to periodontal destruction. In patients with periodontitis, platelets possess an increased activation status compared with platelets from healthy controls. Mean platelet volume (MPV) has been considered an important index of platelet activity and an inflammatory marker in many infectious diseases. The present study investigated the relationship between MPV and disease activity in subjects with severe periodontitis. Forty-five patients with periodontitis and 45 age and sex-matched healthy subjects were enrolled into the study. All subjects received periodontal and hematological examinations. The periodontitis patients were administered active periodontal treatment (APT). At baseline, a statistically significant decrease in MPV was noted in patients with periodontitis (9.73 +/- 1.06 fL) compared with healthy controls (10.24 +/- 1.07 fL). At 1 month post-APT, MPV was substantially increased (10.11 +/- 1.04 fL). Positive correlation was found between increase of MPV and decrease of periodontal probing depth after treatment(r = 0.377; p = 0.014). In conclusion, the decrease of MPV was related to the severe periodontal inflammation, and the value inversed shift after APT. MPV might reflect the disease activity of periodontitis.