Ratio of mean platelet volume to platelet count is a potential surrogate marker predicting liver cirrhosis

AIM: To provide a simple surrogate marker predictive of liver cirrhosis (LC). METHODS: Specimens from 302 patients who underwent resection for hepatocellular carcinoma between January 2006 and December 2012 were retrospectively analyzed. Based on pathologic findings, patients were divided into groups based on whether or not they had LC. Parameters associated with hepatic functional reserve were compared in these two groups using Mann-Whitney U-test for univariate analysis. Factors differing significantly in univariate analyses were entered into multivariate logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: There were significant differences between the LC group (n = 100) and non-LC group (n = 202) in prothrombin activity, concentrations of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, total bilirubin, albumin, cholinesterase, type IV collagen, hyaluronic acid, indocyanine green retention rate at 15 min, maximal removal rate of technitium-99m diethylene triamine penta-acetic acid-galactosyl human serum albumin and ratio of mean platelet volume to platelet count (MPV/PLT). Multivariate analysis showed that prothrombin activity, concentrations of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, total bilirubin and hyaluronic acid, and MPV/PLT ratio were factors independently predictive of LC. The area under the curve value for MPV/PLT was 0.78, with a 0.8 cutoff value having a sensitivity of 65% and a specificity of 78%. CONCLUSION: The MPV/PLT ratio, which can be determined simply from the complete blood count, may be a simple surrogate marker predicting LC.