Objective: Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning is one of the most commonly encountered causes of fatal intoxication worldwide. Mean platelet volume (MPV) elevation has been shown in several diseases associated with tissue hypoxia and inflammation. This study investigated the association between MPV levels and CO poisoning and examined the relations between MPV and myocardial or neurological injury.

Methods: The research was planned as a single-center, prospective, cross-sectional clinical study. Cases with ischemic chest pain, ischemic electrocardiography change, or troponin elevation were classified as CO poisoning-related myocardial injury. Cases with severe neurological findings were classified as CO poisoning-related neurological injury.

Results: Eighty-nine patients with CO poisoning and 20 healthy volunteers were enrolled. Mean MPV levels at the presentation in patients with CO poisoning were 9.26±0.99 femtolitre (fL), and 9.19±0.97 (fL) in patients with myocardial injury and 9.11±1.04 (fL) in those with neurological injury. MPV values at the presentation in patients with CO poisoning were significantly higher than those in healthy volunteers (p<0.001).

Conclusion: MPV rises significantly in CO poisoning compared to healthy individuals. However, this is not correlated with the clinical findings that may emerge and does not appear to be a reliable parameter in identifying the potential myocardial or neurological injury.