Association between mean platelet volume in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes mellitus and diabetic macrovascular complications in Japanese patients

AIMS/INTRODUCTION: Mean platelet volume (MPV) is a widely used biological marker of platelet function and activity. Increased MPV is associated with accelerated thrombopoiesis and an elevated risk of cardiovascular disease. However, it is not known whether higher MPV is related to the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes and diabetic macrovascular complications in Japanese patients. Therefore, we analyzed MPV and its correlation with atherosclerosis in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes and those who had prediabetes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We divided the patients into three groups: normoglycemic patients (n = 56), prediabetes patients (n = 44) and type 2 diabetes patients group, (n = 115). We measured platelet parameters and evaluated arterial stiffness in the three groups. RESULTS: Significantly higher MPV was found in the type 2 diabetes mellitus and prediabetes patients compared with normoglycemic patients. MPV was significantly correlated with fasting blood glucose and glycated hemoglobin levels. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that MPV was positively correlated with HbA1c, even after adjustment for confounding factors. In the evaluation of arterial stiffness by measuring the cardio‐ankle vascular index and maximum intima‐media thickness, MPV showed a positive correlation with these parameters. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that MPV was significantly increased in the early stage of type 2 diabetes. We showed positive correlations between MPV and HbA1c levels, and between MPV and arterial stiffness in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes.