Introduction: Mean platelet volume (MPV) is an independent cardiovascular disease predictor, and characteristics of MPV in patients with diabetic nephropathy (DN) are not well known.
Aim: To determine the MPV levels in patients at different stages of DN.
Patients and methods: The MPV levels were investigated in healthy participants (group 1, n = 157), patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus without complication (group 2, n = 160), diabetic patients with clinical proteinuria (group 3, n = 144), and in patients with chronic kidney disease due to DN (group 4, n = 160).
Findings: The MPV level was higher in all diabetic patients than that in normal participants (P < .05). The MPV values had a positive correlation with the serum creatinine and proteinuria, and a negative correlation with the glomerular filtration rate ([GFR] P < .001 for all, r values; .72, and .82, and -.92, respectively).
Conclusion: The MPV values were higher in diabetic groups than that in normal participants. Both GFR and proteinuria were the most powerful determinants of MPV.
Keywords: cardiovascular disease; diabetes mellitus; diabetic nephropathy; mean platelet volume; proteinuria; renal failure.