Does Platelet and Inflammatory Readings Differ Between Chronic Heart Failure Patients‘ Groups According to NYHA Functional Classes?

It is stated in the literature that thrombosis in the chronic heart failure (CHF) patients may be caused by interaction of inflammation and platelets. The incidence of venous thromboembolism in heart failure patients is found to be the highest in the patients classified as NYHA IV. We aimed to test the hypothesis that prothrombotic state depends on inflammation. We have compared the C-reactive protein (CRP), fibrinogen concentration, platelet count (PLT), mean platelet volume (MPV) and platelet aggregation in CHF patients’ groups according to New York Heart Association (NYHA). 203 patients with CHF with reduced ejection fraction (systolic heart failure classes I‒IV according to NYHA) were included in the study. There were no statistically significant differences in fibrinogen concentration, CRP, PLT and platelet aggregation between the groups according to NYHA. The MPV was statistically significant higher in NYHA IV group than in NYHA III, NYHA II and NYHA I groups (10.86 ± 1.14 and 9.78 ± 1.21 and 9.65 ± 1.22 and 9.21 ± 0.59 respectively, p = 0.006). There was a weak correlation between CRP and PLT (r = 0.293, p = 0.010), and between MPV and fibrinogen concentration (r=0.205, p=0.012). There was a moderate correlation between MPV and NYHA (r = 0.361, p < 0.001) and between fibrinogen concentration and CRP (r = 0.381, p < 0.001). MPV rising in the patients’ groups and correlation between MPV and NYHA class, and plasma fibrinogen concentration, correlation between PLT and CRP, correlation between CRP and NT-proBNP concentration confirm, that low inflammation can take place in the MPV rising.