Mean platelet volume as a potential predictor of proteinuria and amyloidosis in familial Mediterranean fever

This study aims to compare the mean platelet volume (MPV) levels in children and adults diagnosed with familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) during attack-free periods in order to find out whether it reflects the emergence of microalbuminuria/proteinuria and the development of amyloidosis or not. The study consisted of 63 pediatric patients (group 1), 50 adult patients (group 2), 50 healthy children (group 3), and 43 healthy adults (group 4). Demographic data, age at diagnosis, duration of the disease and colchicine treatment, and FMF gene mutations were recorded, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, fibrinogen, hemoglobin, white blood cell count, platelet count, MPV, blood urea nitrogen, creatine, albumin, and urine microalbumin and protein levels were evaluated. According to the presence of microalbuminuria/proteinuria, patient groups were subgrouped into two by themselves as pediatric and adult groups with and without proteinuria. The most frequent mutation was M694V. MPV was significantly higher in FMF patients than those in the healthy control groups. Microalbuminuria/proteinuria were detected in 18 (28.57 %) of 63 pediatric patients and 26 (52 %) of 50 adult patients. Amyloidosis has been identified in 3 (16.6 %) of 18 pediatric patients and 18 (69.23 %) of 26 adult patients with proteinuria. Subgroup comparisons revealed that MPV levels were significantly higher in patients with proteinuria than patients without proteinuria in both pediatric and adult groups. Moreover, MPV levels were also significantly higher in adult patients with or without proteinuria than in pediatric patients with or without proteinuria. There were significant differences in terms of serum albumin levels between the groups with and without proteinuria as expected. The increase in MPV over the years of the disease, especially in groups with proteinuria, may be an important predictor of continuing increase of subclinical inflammation, the emergence of the microalbuminuria/proteinuria, and the developing of amyloidosis, but further studies are needed in order to support this proposal.