Relationship between vitamin D levels and platelet count: A retrospective study

Mean platelet volume (MPV) reflects platelet size and is a marker of platelet function (3). Higher MPV levels may reflect the existence of large platelets which have higher aggregation tendency. Large platelets are found to be more active and thrombogenic compared to small platelets (4). MPV levels are increased in obesity, acute myocardial infarction, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, stroke, preeclampsia and renal artery stenosis (5). Platelet hyperactivity is a risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD) and increased MPV was found to be associated with platelet hyperactivity (6). High MPV levels were associated with increased mortality in CAD (7). Also, MPV has been reported to be a risk factor for CAD and acute myocardial infarction in hemodialysis patients (8). Vitamin D is synthesized from cholesterol and has hormonal activity. Vitamin D has some important metabolic effects such as regulation of calcium and phosphorus homeostasis, bone mineralization, enhancing immune system, regulating cell division and differentiation, regulating coagulation and decreasing inflammation. Vitamin D enhances calcium absorption in the duodenum and reduces calcium excretion by the kidney (9). Low vitamin D levels were associated with coronary heart disease, metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, susceptibility to infections, allergic diseases, malignancies and autoimmune diseases (10). DOI: 10.4274/gulhane.galenos.2020.762 ORIGINAL ARTICLE