Platelet Index in Patients with Confirmed Coronavirus Disease 2019 Cases

BACKGROUND: Changes found on hematological examination are a helpful modality for assessing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In addition, platelet index is a parameter that can help in assessing the COVID-19 disease prognosis. AIM: Objective of the study is to determine the difference in platelet index in nucleid acid amplification test (NAAT) confirmed COVID-19 patients, suspected COVID-19 with negative NAAT results, and non-COVID-19 controls. METHODS: This is an analytical observational study with 96 subjects; 48 subjects with confirmed COVID-19, 23 subjects suspected COVID-19 with negative NAAT results, and 24 non-COVID-19 control subjects. First, NAAT examination was carried out using the GeneXpert tool with the target genes of the E and N2 genes. Then, the platelet index was compared between the three groups by the Kruskal-Wallis test. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the number of platelet (PLT), mean PLT volume (MPV), and PLT crit (PCT) between the three groups with p = 0.732, 0.741 and 0.483, respectively. In general, the number of PLT, MPV, and PCT in the three groups was within the normal reference value. CONCLUSIONS: There were no significant differences observed in the number of PLT, MPV, and PCT between COVID-19 patients with positive NAAT, COVID-19 suspects with negative NAAT, and non-COVID-19 controls. Therefore, detecting the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 virus by NAAT examination in COVID-19 patients has not altered the PLT index changes.