A Comparative Study on Platelet Indices in Women with Uterine Leiomyomas and Apparently Healthy Controls in Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Abstract

Alteration in coagulation parameters is one of the common occurrences in the pathology of many health conditions, including uterine fibroids. This study evaluated the levels of some platelet and coagulation in female subjects with uterine fibroids. The study involved 240 subjects who were within the ages of 20 and 45 years. These include 120 women with uterine fibroid and another 120 who were the control subjects. The subjects were selected using simple random sampling technique. Blood samples (5 ml) were collected from each subject into K3EDTA (2 ml) and citrate (3 ml) bottles for the analyses of PT and APTT (using manual methods) and MPV, PCT, PDW, PLCC, PLCR and platelet count using haematology autoanalyzer. The data generated were analyzed using SAS software, and results expressed as mean ± standard deviation. The mean prothrombin time (13.48 ± 1.04 s), activated partial thromboplastin time (30.23 ± 3.13 s), mean platelet volume (9.93 ± 1.13 fL), plasma distribution width (12.41 ± 2.57 %), plateletcrit (0.39 ± 0.04 %), platelet large cell ratio (25.89 ± 9.62 %) and platelet large cell count (72.11 ± 28.75 x109/µl) for the uterine fibroid subjects were significantly higher than the mean prothrombin time (11.27 ± 0.97 s), activated partial thromboplastin time (26.01 ± 3.96 s), mean platelet volume (8.29 ± 0.87 fL), plasma distribution width (10.98 ± 2.47 %), plateletcrit (0.26 ± 0.06 %), platelet large cell ratio (20.86 ± 5.70 %) and platelet large cell count (59.23 ± 14.27 x109/µl)for the control subjects. On the other hand, the mean platelet count for the uterine fibroid subjects (255.32 ± 74.48 x109/µl) was significantly lower than the mean platelet count for the control subjects (278.44 ± 72.70 x109/µl). Based on duration of the condition, the mean APTT level in the subjects within less than 5 years was significantly higher than the for those between 5 years and above. It is concluded that there are significant alterations in the levels of platelet and coagulation parameters in women with uterine fibroids. It is recommended that these alterations be considered in the management of the condition in affected women.