Mean platelet volume and varicocele: comparison between adolescents and adults

Purpose: To evaluate the association between varicocele and MPV values in pediatric and adult patients.

And its association with different clinical parameters.

Materials and methods: We retrospectively analyzed the medical charts of patients treated for varicocele at our Institution between December 2010 and December 2014.

The study patients were divided into three groups: group 1- patients with varicocele without testicular hypotrophy treated for scrotal discomfort or infertility (percutaneous varicocelecomy-scheloembolization); group 2- (control group) patients without varicocele; group 3- patients with varicocele and testicular hypotrophy (laparoscopic varicocelectomy).

The study compared the grade of varicocele and MPV before surgery; age-related MPV and MPV cumulative value between the groups.

Results: After revision of the study 145 medical charts (group 1: 47 patients, group 2: 52 patients, group 3: 46 patients), and in compliance with the inclusion and exclusion criteria established, 127 patients were considered for the study; we evaluated 42 patients in group 1, 46 patients in group 2 and 39 patients in group 3.

Patients with varicocele had higher MPV value than controls but only in adulthood.

Testicular hypotrophy associated with varicocele is not a confusing factor.

Conclusions: Even if MPV is higher in adults with varicocele as reported by other studies, but this result is not thrue in adolescents and its is not correlated with testicular hypotrophy; some confunding factors, i.e. andrological disease or smoking status, could be the reasons of different results present on medical literature.