Mirghani HO. Platelets indices clinical implications in diabetes mellitus: A broader insight. World J Diabetes 2025; 16(4): 100467 [DOI: 10.4239/wjd.v16.i4.100467]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Hyder Osman Mirghani, MD, Professor, Internal Medicine, University of Tabuk, Prince Fahd Bin Sultan, Tabuk 51941, Saudi Arabia. s.hyder63@hotmail.com
Research Domain of This Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Article-Type of This Article
Letter to the Editor
Open-Access Policy of This Article
This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
World J Diabetes. Apr 15, 2025; 16(4): 100467 Published online Apr 15, 2025. doi: 10.4239/wjd.v16.i4.100467
Platelets indices clinical implications in diabetes mellitus: A broader insight
Hyder Osman Mirghani
Hyder Osman Mirghani, Internal Medicine, University of Tabuk, Tabuk 51941, Saudi Arabia
Author contributions: Mirghani HO performed the conception and design of the study, the literature search, the drafting, and critical revision, and provided the final approval of the version to be published.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The author declares that there are no conflicts of interest.
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Hyder Osman Mirghani, MD, Professor, Internal Medicine, University of Tabuk, Prince Fahd Bin Sultan, Tabuk 51941, Saudi Arabia. s.hyder63@hotmail.com
Received: August 19, 2024 Revised: January 6, 2025 Accepted: January 17, 2025 Published online: April 15, 2025 Processing time: 195 Days and 5.6 Hours
Abstract
Platelet indices (PIs) including high mean platelet volume (MPV), plateletcrit (PLC), and platelet distribution width (PLDW) are associated with poor glycemic control. In addition, they can indicate prothrombotic and procoagulation risk among patients with diabetes. PI measurement is cheap, quick and fits healthcare system needs in remote outreaching areas in low-income countries. However, a broader insight into their clinical implications in diabetes is lacking. To achieve a wider understanding, we reviewed PubMed/MEDLINE, Google Scholar and Cochrane Library for relevant articles investigating the role of PIs in diabetes mellitus. No limitation to the publication date was applied, which included all articles published up to August 17, 2024. The terms used were MPV, PLC, PLDW, platelet large cell ratio, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), PIs, platelet activity and diabetes mellitus. Out of the 790 articles retrieved, 187 full texts were reviewed, and 44 were included. PIs, when measurements are done promptly and within 2 h, could be short-term pointers to glycemic control in the life span of the platelets (2 wk). PIs are easy to perform, cheap and useful in remote outreaching areas with limited facilities where measurement of HbA1c is not available or cost-effective. However, PIs are not specific and are affected by demographic factors, such as pregnancy, renal failure, medications, hemoglobin and duration of diabetes. PIs could be implemented with daily blood glucose to inform doctors in low-income countries about their patients' glycemic control and cardiovascular risk. An important application might be when blood glucose control is needed quickly (before elective surgery).
Core Tip: Platelet indices (PIs) have been mentioned in the literature as parameters of glucoregulation. However, their clinical implications in real-world diabetes care are unclear. PIs if estimated within 2 h of blood collection could be useful and cheap indicators of glycemic control. PIs are nonspecific and affected by various patients characters. Therefore, combination with blood glucose measurement are crucial. PIs have the advantage of reflecting the previous 2 wk glycemic control compared to the glycated hemoglobin (120 d). PIs could be useful before surgery, and during pregnancy mean platelet volume and plateletcrit are more affected by confounders, and because of that platelet large cell ratio is more specific.
