Mean Platelet Volume to Platelet Count Ratio as a Promising Predictor of Early Mortality in Severe Sepsis

Abstract

Purpose: We evaluated the mean platelet volume (MPV) to platelet ratio to determine its significance as a prognostic marker for early mortality in critically ill patients with suspected sepsis receiving early goal-directed therapy (EGDT).

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the records from a prospective EGDT registry and screened eligible adult patients who were admitted to the emergency department (ED) with severe sepsis and/or septic shock. The MPV/platelet ratio was estimated as the MPV value divided by the platelet count on each day of hospitalization. The clinical outcome was 28-day mortality.

Results: We included 120 patients receiving EGDT. In the multivariate Cox proportional hazard models, higher MPV/platelet ratios on admission (HR: 1.04; 95% CI: 1.015-1.066; P = 0.002) and at 24 h (HR: 1.032; 95% CI: 1.012-1.054; P = 0.002) were significant risk factors for mortality at 28 days. An increased trend for 28-day mortality was associated with a MPV/platelet ratio >3.71 on admission (HR: 4.274; 95% CI: 1.228-14.874; P = 0.023) and a higher MPV/platelet ratio (>6.49) at 24 h (HR: 2.719; 95% CI: 1.048-7.051; P = 0.04) in patients with severe sepsis receiving EGDT.

Conclusion: In our study, MPV or platelet count alone did not predict shock and 28-day mortality in patients with severe sepsis receiving EGDT. However, the MPV/platelet ratio at ED admission and on day 1 is a promising prognostic marker for 28-day mortality in patients with severe sepsis.