The Effect of Vitamin D Deficiency on Platelet Indices in Various Anemia Groups
Objectives: Our study aimed to determine the effects of vitamin D deficiency in iron, folate (B9), and cobalamin (B12) deficient anemia patients and their platelet indices.
Methods: The study included 4000 patients who presented to the outpatient clinics of Ankara Etlik City Hospital between September 9, 2022, and May 1, 2023. Four groups were studied: patients with iron deficiency anemia, B9 deficiency anemia, B12 deficiency anemia, and a control group without anemia. These four groups were subdivided according to 25 (OH) vitamin D levels as patients with and without vitamin D deficiency. Each subgroup contained 500 patients. We compared mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet distribution width (PDW), platelet count (PLT), and platelet-large cell ratio (P-LCR) parameters between the groups according to the anemia and control groups’ vitamin D levels. In addition, univariate linear regression analysis and multivariate linear regression analysis were performed to determine the factors affecting these parameters.
Results: We detected that the presence of vitamin D deficiency together with B12 deficiency anemia affected MPV values (p<0.01). We also detected that the presence of vitamin D deficiency together with iron deficiency anemia affected P-LCR (p<0.01).
Conclusion: Vitamin D deficiency increased the severity of platelet morphology deterioration in patients with B12 and iron deficiency anemia compared with patients with normal vitamin D levels. Patients with B12 and iron deficiency anemia should also be screened for vitamin D deficiency to prevent changes in platelet morphology. Therefore, complications associated with deterioration in platelet morphology and function in anemia patients might be prevented by vitamin D supplementation.
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