Annual blood work; MPV?!
Question: I recently received the results for my annual blood work, in the mail. It showed that my MPV is very high compared to the normal rate. I know that MPV means mass platelet volume but what kind of risks am I looking at? What could it mean for me to be so high?
Answers: I recently received the results for my annual blood work, in the mail. It showed that my MPV is very high compared to the normal rate. I know that MPV means mass platelet volume but what kind of risks am I looking at? What could it mean for me to be so high?
Mean platelet volume does refer to the size of the platelets. Immature platelets are larger so a very actively functioning bone marrow would give you an elevated value. This might tend to occur in an anemia for example. On the other hand a low value would be seen if your marrow was damaged and not functioning normally or if the platelets themselves were not being produced normally in the marrow. Large platelets may rarely also be seen in diseases where the platelets themselves and their clotting functions are abnormal such as in Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. This is kind of an exotic and complicated topic and one that should be reviewed in detail with your doctor who is familiar with all the details of your history and lab results. Initial investigations are generally aimed at the clotting functions of your blood and the function of your bone marrow.
Ask your doctor! He is the only one who knows your case.