Can mean platelet volume IndIcate HelIcobacter posItIvIty and severIty of gastrIc InflammatIon? An orIgInal study and revIew of the lIterature

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a common problem and a significant cause of chronic gastric inflammation. H. pylori, ongoing gastric inflammation and its severity are the most critical component of precursors of gastric cancer. Hypothetically, every chronic tissue injury activates platelets, and the mean platelet volume (MPV) reflects this action well. The potential relationship between H. pylori and platelet count has been shown before. However, there are few and conflicting papers about the relationship between MPV and H. pylori related chronic gastric inflammation and its severity. The study aimed to assess any potential relationship between MPV and presence of H. pylori, as well as the severity of chronic gastric inflammation. A total of 6890 endoscopic reports were initially evaluated, and a total of 218 dyspeptic patients having undergone upper endoscopy were included. Of these, 118 (54.2%) were H. pylori positive and 100 (45.8%) were H. pylori negative. At least four gastric biopsies were obtained and evaluated according to Sydney classification. Age, gender, hemoglobin, mean corpuscular volume, ferritin, serum iron and C-reactive protein, as well as endoscopic findings were also recorded. A p<0.05 was accepted as significant. The MPV and platelet count did not differ between H. pylori positive and H. pylori negative groups of patients (p>0.05). There were no differences and correlation between MPV and gastric inflammation severity according to Sydney classification (p>0.05). When stratifying MPV as <9.15 fL and >9.15 fL, there was no difference between H. pylori positive and H. pylori negative groups either (p>0.05). In this study, we found no relationship between MPV and presence of H. pylori or severity of gastric inflammation. Although there are still conflicting publications on this issue, in our opinion and according to the results of this study, MPV is not a suitable marker for evaluation of gastric inflammation severity, being H. pylori either positive or negative.