The Association Between Weight Loss and Platelet Markers in Morbidly Obese Patients

Objective: To examine the association of weight loss achieved through obesity treatment with platelet number and markers (mean platelet volume, MPV; plateletcrit, PCT; platelet/lymphocyte ratio, PLR; and platelet distribution width, PDW) in morbidly obese patients. Methods: A total of 300 patients diagnosed with morbid obesity between 2017 and 2019 were included in this retrospective study. Weight at baseline and 6 months, body mass index (BMI), complete blood count (platelet, lymphocyte, plateletcrit, platelet/lymphocyte ratio, and platelet distribution width), and demographic data were evaluated. Results: A total of 300 morbidly obese patients with a BMI ≥ 40 kg/m2 were included. A weight loss of ≥ 10% was considered “significant”, and a weight loss of < 10% was considered insignificant. A significant decrease in platelet number was found in association with weight loss (p < 0.05), as were the changes in PCT and PLR. These findings suggest that platelet markers PCT and PLR may be associated with the degree of weight loss. Conclusion: Our results suggest that platelet markers simply obtained through a complete blood count may be utilized in the treatment and follow-up of obesity, which may lead to a number of different conditions such as coronary artery disease, cerebrovascular events, and myocardial infarction through predisposition to thrombosis.