Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Rheumatic carditis-induced mitral valve disease is associated with a chronic inflammatory process. The close relationship between inflammation and prothrombotic processes is known. Our goal was to examine the relationship between the presence of left atrial (LA) thrombus in patients with rheumatic mitral valve stenosis (RMVS) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), which is an inflammatory marker. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 351 consecutive patients diagnosed with RMVS upon presentation to the cardiology polyclinic. All patients were evaluated using transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography and were divided into 2 groups: those with and without LA thrombus. In addition to echocardiographic and biochemical parameters, PLR was compared between the groups. Student's t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, logistic regression analysis, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: No significant differences in terms of age, gender, body mass index, and comorbidities were found between the groups with and without LA thrombus. In the group with LA thrombus, higher red cell distribution width, mean platelet volume, and platelet count and lower lymphocyte count were detected. In addition, C-reactive protein levels were significantly higher in the LA thrombus group (4.7 vs. 2.7 mg/L, p<0.001). PLR was significantly higher in patients with thrombus than in those without (133±38 vs. 119±31, p=0.001). Higher PLR was identified as independently associated with the presence of LA thrombus (odds ratio: 1.03, 95% confidence interval: 1-1.06, p=0.016). CONCLUSION: Higher PLR was detected in the LA thrombus group of patients with RMVS.