OBJECTIVE: to evaluate platelet parameters in normal and pre-eclamptic pregnant women. METHODS: a controlled cross-sectional study was carried out. The medical records of the women who had delivered in the Hospital Universitário Júlio Müller-Cuiabá/MT, from January 1, 2001 to July 31, 2002, were reviewed. The pregnant women were pre-selected based on their platelet parameters analyses performed after the 28th week of gestation. Two groups of study were analyzed: PE group (36 pre-eclamptic women) and NP group (58 normal pregnant women). The platelet parameters analyzed by the automated method were: platelet counts, mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet distribution width (PDW) and platelet - large cells ratio (P-LCR). For statistical analysis the Student t-test and the chi-square test were used to compare the groups, and to evaluate the degree of dependence among the variables, the coefficient of determination was used (r²). For all these tests, the significance level considered was p < 0.05. RESULTS: the platelet counts did not show difference between the two groups. However, all other platelet indices (MPV, PDW and P-LCR) were significantly higher in the PE group. The severity of the disease was documented in 91.7% of the pre-eclamptic women, despite the fact that none of the patients included had shown thrombocytopenia as a criterion of severity. Negative correlation was detected between the platelet counts and the other platelet parameters analyzed and there was positive correlation between MPV and PDW, MPV and P-LCR, and PDW and P-LCR. Positive correlation was also observed between MPV, PDW and P-LCR, and the maximum systolic and diastolic blood pressures. CONCLUSIONS: pre-eclampsia was associated with these platelet parameters, suggesting alterations of the platelet functions. The clinical applicability of these parameters, as early markers of severity of pre-eclampsia, needs more studies.
Pregnancy-induced hypertension; Pre-eclampsia; Platelet counts; Mean platelet volume; Thrombocytopenia
