Investigation of the association between mean platelet volume and Helicobacter pylori gastritis

Helicobacter pylori is one of the common infection of humans. It is associated with chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer, mucosa related tissue lymphoma and gastric cancer. Whether H. pylori gastritis is a local inflammation or contributes to systemic inflammation remains unclear. Mean platelet volume is an indicator of systemic inflammation that can be determined from routine hemogram analyses. The present study was aimed to evaluate the relationship between mean platelet volume and H. pylori gastritis. Two hundred and eighty three (283) patients admitted with dyspeptic symptoms, and to whom endoscopy was performed, were enrolled in the study. Mean platelet volume levels of patients with and without H. pylori gastritis were compared and also, mean platelet volume levels according to parameters of Sydney Score System were compared. There was no significant difference between patients with and without H. pylori gastritis in the mean of mean platelet volume (p>0.05). Also, mean platelet volume levels did not differ between groups with regards to H. pylori intensity (p>0.05). There was also no significant association between mean platelet volume levels and H. pylori gastritis intensity. Chronic and acute infection, atrophy and intestinal metaplasia also did not have relationship with mean platelet volume. It can be concluded therefore, that mean platelet volume cannot be used as an indicator of systemic inflammation for H. pylori gastritis. Key words: Mean platelet volume, Helicobacter pylori, inflammation.