Is Mean Platelet Volume a Predictive Marker for the Diagnosis of
COVID-19 in Children?
Abstract
Aim: To investigate the mean thrombocyte volume (MPV) in asymptomatic
children infected with COVID-19. Methods: The study included 55 children
infected with COVID-19 and 60 healthy children for the comparison of
leukocyte and thrombocyte count, MPV, and serum C-reactive protein (CRP)
levels. Demographic data and clinical findings of all the cases were
recorded, including age, gender, weight, temperature, cough, shortness
of breath and contact history. Results: The MPV values were determined
to be statistically significantly high (p<0.001) and the
lymphocyte values were significantly low (p:0.002) in the asymptomatic
children infected with COVID-19 compared to the healthy control
children. No difference was determined between the groups in respect of
CRP level, leukocyte and thrombocyte counts (p>0.05). The
optimal cutoff point for MPV was determined as 8.74 fl (Area under the
curve-AUC:0.932) with 81.82% sensitivity and 95% specificity for the
determination of children infected with COVID-19. A cutoff value of
<2.12/mm3 for lymphocytes (AUC:0.670) was determined with
49.09% sensitivity and 86.67% specificity for the prediction of
COVID-19. Based on the ROC analysis, the sensitivity and specificity of
MPV was determined to be higher than that of lymphocyte levels.
Conclusion: The results of this study that MPV levels are significantly
high in asymptomatic children infected with COVID-19 demonstrate that
this is an important predictive value and has better predictive capacity
than lymphocyte values. The evaluation of MPV and lymphocyte levels
together could increase diagnostic success in asymptomatic COVID-19
cases.