Thromb Haemost 2014; 111(04): 670-678
DOI: 10.1160/TH13-07-0603
Blood Coagulation, Fibrinolysis and Cellular Haemostasis
Schattauer GmbH

Association of mean platelet volume with risk of venous thromboembolism and mortality in patients with cancer

Results from the Vienna Cancer and Thrombosis Study (CATS)
Julia Riedl
1   Clinical Division of Haematology and Haemostaseology, Department of Medicine I, Medical University of Vienna, Austria
*   Comprehensive Cancer Center Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, Austria
,
Alexandra Kaider
2   Center for Medical Statistics, Informatics and Intelligent Systems, Medical University of Vienna, Austria
,
Eva-Maria Reitter
1   Clinical Division of Haematology and Haemostaseology, Department of Medicine I, Medical University of Vienna, Austria
*   Comprehensive Cancer Center Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, Austria
,
Christine Marosi
3   Clinical Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine I, Medical University of Vienna, Austria
*   Comprehensive Cancer Center Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, Austria
,
Ulrich Jäger
1   Clinical Division of Haematology and Haemostaseology, Department of Medicine I, Medical University of Vienna, Austria
*   Comprehensive Cancer Center Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, Austria
,
Ilse Schwarzinger
4   Department of Laboratory Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Austria
,
Christoph Zielinski
3   Clinical Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine I, Medical University of Vienna, Austria
*   Comprehensive Cancer Center Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, Austria
,
Ingrid Pabinger
1   Clinical Division of Haematology and Haemostaseology, Department of Medicine I, Medical University of Vienna, Austria
*   Comprehensive Cancer Center Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, Austria
,
Cihan Ay
1   Clinical Division of Haematology and Haemostaseology, Department of Medicine I, Medical University of Vienna, Austria
*   Comprehensive Cancer Center Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, Austria
› Author Affiliations

Financial support: This study was supported by funds of the “Oesterreichische Nationalbank” (Anniversary Fund, project numbers 12739 and 14744).
Further Information

Publication History

Received: 23 July 2013

Accepted after major revision: 26 October 2013

Publication Date:
29 November 2017 (online)

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Summary

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a frequent complication in cancer patients. Mean platelet volume (MPV) has been associated with arterial and venous thrombosis in patients without cancer. We analysed MPV in cancer patients and investigated the association of MPV with risk of VTE and mortality. MPV was routinely determined in the Vienna Cancer and Thrombosis Study, a prospective, observational cohort study of patients with newly diagnosed or progressive cancer after remission. Study endpoints were occurrence of symptomatic VTE or death during a maximum follow-up of two years. Out of 1,544 included patients, 114 (7.4%) developed VTE and 573 (37.1%) died during a median observation time of 576 days. High MPV ≥75th percentile of the study population; ≥10.8 fL) was associated with decreased risk of VTE compared to MPV below the 75th percentile (HR [95% CI]: 0.59 [0.37–0.95], p=0.031). In multivariable analysis, including age, sex, cancer groups, newly diagnosed vs recurrent disease, platelet count and soluble P-selectin, this association remained statistically significant (0.65 [0.37–0.98], p=0.041). Mortality of patients with MPV (≥75th percentile was significantly decreased compared to those with lower MPV (0.72 [0.59–0.88], p=0.001). Two-year probability of VTE and overall survival was 5.5% and 64.7% in patients with high MPV compared to 9% and 55.7% in those with lower MPV. In conclusion, high MPV is associated with decreased VTE risk and improved survival in cancer patients. This finding is contrary to results observed in patients without cancer. Further studies are needed to confirm our results and elucidate underlying mechanisms.

Previous presentations of this manuscript: Data from this study were presented in part at the Annual Spring Meeting of the Austrian Society for Haematology and Oncology (OeGHO) in Linz, Austria, and as an oral presentation at the XXIV. Congress of the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH) 2013 in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.