Evaluation of Platelet Indices in Coronary Artery Disease: An Institutional Study

Introduction Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the most prevalent form of heart disease and continues to be a major cause of death for both men and women. In CAD, platelet size tends to increase due to the essential role platelets play in hemostasis. Exploring the relationship between platelet and WBC indices may improve screening strategies for identifying high-risk individuals. Aim This study aims to evaluate platelet indices - specifically mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet large cell ratio (PLCR), and platelet distribution width (PDW) - in patients with CAD. It also seeks to compare these indices between patients with myocardial infarction and healthy individuals while identifying risk factors that may contribute to the development of CAD. Materials and methods A prospective study was carried out over a period of six months, involving 100 patients diagnosed with CAD. Platelet indices, including MPV, PLCR, PDW, and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), were measured using the Sysmex XN 1000 M2 automated hematology analyzer (Sysmex Corporation, Kobe, Japan). Results When comparing the CAD group to the control group, there was no significant difference in platelet count. However, PLR, MPV, PDW, PLCR, and the Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events score showed highly significant differences between the two groups, suggesting their potential relevance in disease assessment. Conclusions Readily available diagnostic markers such as PLR, MPV, and PDW, along with other platelet indices, may serve as useful indicators for assessing the risk of CAD. These findings highlight the potential of combining such markers with conventional cardiac biomarkers like troponin, CRP, and creatine kinase-MB to aid in the early detection and prediction of CAD.