Mean Platelet Volume as an Emerging Biomarker for Diagnosing Acute Appendicitis: A Retrospective Study.

Introduction Acute appendicitis is a common surgical emergency that requires a timely and accurate diagnosis to prevent complications. Several laboratory markers have been assessed to improve the diagnostic accuracy of acute appendicitis, including C-reactive protein (CRP), white blood cell (WBC) count, and cytokines like interleukins and tumor necrosis factor-alpha. One less commonly used but potentially valuable marker is the mean platelet volume (MPV), which indicates the size of circulating platelets and has the potential to serve as a biomarker for inflammatory conditions. Methodology The study was designed as a retrospective analytical investigation to examine the role of MPV in diagnosing acute appendicitis. The retrospective design allowed the utilization of existing hospital data, ensuring that sufficient cases of acute appendicitis could be assessed without additional data collection. The calculation was based on statistical parameters, including the standard deviations from previous studies, critical values at a 5% significance level, and an 80% test power, arriving at a minimum required sample size of approximately 100 to ensure adequate statistical power for meaningful conclusions. Results The study found that patients with acute appendicitis had significantly higher MPV compared to the normal reference value of 8.9 fL. The average MPV in the patient group was 10.25 fL, which was statistically higher than the reference value (