Have you had a blood test recently? There was a CBC on that report, right? It has many different values with each letter. You may have noticed a value with three letters called MPV . Did you think, "What is this?" when you saw it? If you did, don't be afraid. Today, in this article, we will talk very simply about what MPV is, what it says about our body, and whether we should worry about its low or high value.
Let's first see, what is this MPV?
Simply put, a blood test called MPV measures the average number, or size, of platelets in your blood.
Okay, now you're probably thinking, "What are these platelets?" Imagine that you cut your hand a little. After a while, the bleeding stops, right? The little soldier-like parts in our blood help with that. They're what we call platelets, or thrombocytes in medical terms. They're made in our bone marrow. When there's an injury in the body, these platelets rush in and stick together to form a dam that stops the blood from flowing. That's why we don't bleed unnecessarily and don't get hurt much.
So the meaning of the word MPV is:
- M - Mean: This means "average".
- P - Platelet: This is the "platelet" we were talking about.
- V - Volume: This stands for "volume", meaning size or quantity.
That is, the MPV test measures the average size of the platelets in a sample of your blood. This can give doctors a good idea of the health of these cells. Sometimes, an abnormal increase or decrease in this value can indicate a blood disorder or a problem with the bone marrow.
Why would a doctor recommend this MPV test?
You'll often get an MPV test as part of a complete blood count (CBC). A CBC is a very common test that your doctor will usually order during an annual checkup. It measures a number of important things, including how many red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets you have, as well as the size of those cells.
The three tests in the CBC report, namely the platelet count , MPV value , and PDW (Platelet Distribution Width), provide the doctor with some very valuable information about your platelets.
In addition to a routine annual checkup, your doctor may recommend this test if you have the following symptoms:
- If you have bruises all over your body for no reason.
- If you have frequent nosebleeds.
- If it takes a long time to stop bleeding even from a small wound.
- If your gums bleed frequently.
When symptoms like these are present, this test can help to check for any problems with the blood clotting process. It is also important to check for conditions such as thrombocytopenia , which is a low platelet count, and thrombocytosis , which is an increase in platelet count.
How do you prepare for this test? How do you do it?
Usually, if you are only taking an MPV test, no special preparation is required.
However, this test is often done with the same blood sample as many other blood tests. For example, if you are having a blood sugar test or a cholesterol test done at the same time, your doctor may advise you to fast for a few hours, meaning you must not eat or drink anything.
Therefore, it's best to ask your doctor for advice before the test. Don't forget to tell them about any medications you're taking.
How to do the test
This is very simple and takes less than five minutes.
1. First, a nurse or doctor will apply a tourniquet-like pressure to your arm above the elbow to make the vein more visible and easier to draw blood.
2. Then the area is cleaned with a small piece of cotton, and a very fine needle is inserted into the vein. At this time, you may feel a slight pain, like a small ant biting you.
3. The required amount of blood is obtained into a small vial attached to the needle.
4. Then, the needle is removed and a small piece of cotton is placed on the site and pressed down. The bleeding should stop.
This is not a serious risk to you. You may feel a little sore or blue where the blood was drawn, but it will go away completely in two or three days.
How to understand the values in the MPV report?
This is the most important thing. Don't just look at one value in the MPV report and decide that you have a disease. Only your doctor can give you an accurate diagnosis by taking the information in this report, your symptoms, and other test results together.
The average MPV for a healthy adult (non-pregnant) is between 7 and 9 femtoliters (fL) . However, keep in mind that this normal range may vary slightly depending on the lab where you get the test.
Let's look at the table below to see what an increase or decrease in MPV can mean.
| MPV value | What it could mean | Possible associated medical conditions |
|---|---|---|
| High MPV | This means that your platelets are larger than normal. New platelets are larger than old ones. So if your bone marrow is producing new platelets too quickly (because old platelets are being destroyed too quickly), your MPV may be elevated. |
|
| Low MPV | This means that your platelets are smaller than normal. This may mean that your bone marrow is not producing enough new platelets. |
Do other things besides medical conditions affect MPV values?
Yes, absolutely. Even if you don't have any medical conditions, your MPV value can be outside the normal range. There are several factors that can cause this:
- Altitude of where you live: MPV values may vary for people living at higher altitudes.
- Pregnancy: MPV values can be affected by changes in the body during pregnancy.
- Menstruation: This value can also change during women's monthly menstruation.
- Strenuous exercise: If someone regularly engages in strenuous exercise, it can also affect the MPV value.
- Certain medications: For example, some medications, such as birth control pills, can also cause this.
- Stress: Some studies have found that excessive mental and even physical stress can affect platelet count.
So, don't panic if you see a slight increase or decrease in your MPV value on your report. It could be due to one of the common reasons mentioned above.
The most important thing is to talk to your doctor about any abnormalities in your report. He or she is the one who knows your complete health status. So, he or she will explain to you what to do next and whether further tests are needed.
Take-Home Message
- MPV is a test that measures the average size of cells called platelets in your blood.
- This is usually done as part of a complete blood count (CBC).
- Just because your MPV value is slightly outside the normal range doesn't necessarily mean you have a disease.
- MPV values can also change due to non-medical conditions such as pregnancy, exercise, stress, and some medications.
- Most importantly: Don't jump to conclusions about your blood test results on your own. Always show it to your doctor and get proper advice.
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