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Blood count and blood group · Blood
MPV
The average size of the platelets; a supporting value that only says something together with the platelet count.
At a glance
- Measured in blood
- In 2 test panels
- No special preparation
Explanation
MPV: what is measured?
MPV (mean platelet volume) is the average volume of a platelet, expressed in femtoliters. The bone marrow constantly makes new platelets; young platelets are larger than older ones. When the body uses up or breaks down many platelets, the bone marrow makes more of them and faster, and the average size rises. The blood cell counter automatically measures the MPV along with the platelet count.
What can it detect?
- Increased production of platelets, for example after blood loss or with increased breakdown (high MPV)
- Together with a low platelet count: a clue as to whether the shortage is due to breakdown in the blood or to too little production
Result
What does the result mean?
MPV too high
A raised MPV means that there are larger, often younger platelets in the blood on average. This fits bone marrow that is making extra platelets, for example after blood loss or when the body breaks down platelets, as in ITP (an immune reaction against your own platelets). With a normal platelet count, a slightly raised MPV usually has no meaning. Blood that is in transit to the laboratory for a long time also gives a higher MPV, because the platelets swell in the tube. Rarely: an inherited condition with large platelets or a bone marrow disorder, then almost always together with an abnormal platelet count.
MPV too low
A low MPV means that the platelets are smaller than normal on average. With a normal platelet count, this usually has no meaning. Together with a low platelet count, it may indicate that the bone marrow is making fewer platelets, but that distinction is unreliable based on the MPV alone. Symptoms do not come from the MPV itself, but from a platelet count that is too low, such as bruising easily or bleeding gums.
After an abnormal result
An abnormal MPV with a normal platelet count usually does not lead to follow-up. If the platelet count is also abnormal, the GP usually repeats the blood count and, if needed, has the platelets assessed under the microscope.
Reliability
How reliable is the test?
The MPV is a supporting value from the blood cell counter without independent meaning. With a normal platelet count, the value has no fixed meaning; the MPV is mainly informative with an abnormal platelet count. The measurement is sensitive to how long the blood is in transit and differs between devices, so results from different laboratories are poorly comparable. In scientific research, the MPV has been linked to cardiovascular disease and inflammation, among other things, but this cannot be used for an individual result.
What can affect the result?
- Platelets swell in the tube with anticoagulant (EDTA); the longer the blood is in transit, the higher the MPV comes out.
- Reference values differ strongly by device and laboratory.
- When platelets clump in the tube, the count and size cannot be measured reliably; the laboratory then sometimes does not report the MPV.
- An abnormal MPV with a normal platelet count can almost never be interpreted.
Who it is for
Who is the test useful for?
Useful for
The MPV is most informative with an abnormal platelet count or with symptoms of an increased bleeding tendency, such as bruising easily, nosebleeds or bleeding gums. For healthy people without symptoms, the MPV adds little; it is part of a broader blood panel, not a test on its own.
How common is it?
How often an abnormal MPV occurs is not known; the value fluctuates with the way the blood is drawn and shipped. Conditions in which the MPV is truly abnormal together with the platelet count, such as ITP or inherited platelet disorders, are rare.
No Dutch figure available
Drawbacks and risks
- An abnormal MPV due to long transport of the blood or due to differences between laboratories can cause unnecessary worry or unnecessary follow-up testing.
Get tested
MPV: test panels
MPV is part of these test panels. You order online and have your blood drawn at a collection point or collect the sample at home.
Evidence
Sources
This explanation is based on Dutch guidelines and independent information. It is general information, not a diagnosis. Discuss an abnormal result with your GP.
More about risks and resultsMore explanations
Other tests: Blood count and blood group
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- Basophils
- Eosinophils
- Erythrocytes (red blood cells)
- Hematocrit (Ht)
- Hemoglobin (Hb)
- Hemoglobin electrophoresis
- Leukocytes (white blood cells)
- Lymphocytes
- MCH
- MCHC
- MCV