Red Blood Cell Distribution Width Levels Research Articles

Red Blood Cell Distribution Width as a Potential Valuable Survival Predictor in Hepatitis B Virus-related Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Objectives: Red blood cell distribution width (RDW) is a widely used clinical parameter recently deployed in predicting various cancers. This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of RDW in patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of 745 patients with HBV-related HCC, 253 patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB), and 256 healthy individuals to compare their hematological parameters and analyze their RDW levels. Potential risk factors for long-term all-cause mortality in patients with HBV-related HCC were predicted using Multivariate Cox regression. A nomogram was generated, and its performance was evaluated. Results: The RDW of patients with HBV-related HCC was significantly higher than that of those with CHB and healthy controls. In the former, splenomegaly, liver cirrhosis, larger tumor diameter, multiple tumor number, portal vein tumor thrombus, and lymphatic or distant metastasis were significantly increased, and the later the Child-Pugh grade and Barcelona clinic liver cancer stage, the higher the RDW. Furthermore, multivariate Cox regression analysis identified RDW as an independent risk factor for predicting long-term all-cause mortality in patients with HBV-related HCC. Finally, we successfully generated a nomogram incorporating RDW and validated its predictive ability. Conclusions: RDW is a potentially valuable hematological marker for predicting the survival and prognosis of patients with HBV-related HCC. The nomogram incorporating RDW can be used as an effective tool to plan the individualized treatment of such patients.

Investigation of the relationship between red blood cell distribution width and mortality in patients with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis: a retrospective study.

Red blood cell distribution width (RDW) is related to sepsis-related mortality. Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a syndrome caused by severe infection, tumors, or autoimmunity without a specific diagnosis. To explore the correlation between RDW and mortality in patients with HLH. A retrospective study conducted in a hospital in China. A total of 101 inpatients with HLH from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2021 were divided into non-survivor (n = 52) and survivor (n = 49) groups. A non-parametric test was used to analyze demographic, clinical, and laboratory data between groups. Independent variables with P < 0.05 were analyzed using binary logistic regression to screen out mortality-related variables. Selected variables were subjected to multivariate logistic regression analysis, and those with strong correlations were screened. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves of strongly correlated variables and area under curve (AUC) values were obtained. The APACHE II score, RDW, and platelet (PLT) and fibrinogen (FIB) levels (P < 0.05) different significantly. RDW, PLT, FIB were correlated with mortality. The AUC values of RDW, PLT, and FIB were 0.857, 0.797, and 0.726, respectively. RDW was associated with mortality in patients with HLH (P < 0.01, cut-off value: 16.9). The sensitivity and specificity of predicting mortality were 97.96% and 96.1%, respectively. Logistic regression analysis showed a correlation between RDW and patients' mortality. Therefore, RDW can be used to predict mortality in patients with HLH.

A cross sectional study to assess prediction of microalbuminuria using neutrophilto- lymphocyte ratio and red blood cell distribution width in diabetic patients

Background: This study was devised to evaluate the predictive value of neutrophilto- lymphocyte ratio (NLR), mean platelet volume (MPV), and red blood cell distribution width (RDW) to detect microalbuminuria in type 2 diabetic patients. This can help in early detection of microalbuminuria and assessment of prognosis inn patients suffering from type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). Aims and Objectives: The objectives of the study were to assess the diagnostic accuracy of microalbuminuria using neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and red blood cell distribution width in diabetic patients. Materials and Methods: A total of 188 patients with type 2 DM were selected for this study. Subjects were classified into three groups based on hemoglobin A1c and microalbuminuria. Group A had 63 patients with controlled diabetes, Group B had 62 patients with uncontrolled diabetes, both without microalbuminuria, and Group C had 62 patients with uncontrolled diabetes with microalbuminuria. Levels of NLR, MPV, and RDW between the study groups were analyzed. Results: A significant difference in NLR was found between Group C and Groups A and B (P&lt;0.001 and P=0.005, respectively). RDW was significantly different between Groups B and C (P=0.014). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was done between NLR and RDW. The area under curve was found to be of 0.678 for NLR (confidence interval: 0.59–0.75, P&lt;0.001) and 0.616 for RDW (confidence interval: 0.49–0.73, P=0.013). The study shows that an NLR cutoff point of 2.54 has 39.7% sensitivity, 78.8% specificity, and 45% positive predictive value (PPV). An RDW cutoff point of 14.44 has 37.9% sensitivity, 76% specificity, and 41.5% PPV. Conclusion: NLR and RDW can be beneficial to detect microalbuminuria in diabetic patients.

Pretreatment red blood cell distribution width may be a potential biomarker of prognosis in urologic cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Purpose: To demonstrate the prognostic value of pretreatment red blood cell distribution width (RDW) in patients with urological cancer. Methods: We searched the relevant literature on Web of Science, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, PubMed, Embase, Sinomed databasesand Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructureup to 30March 2022, to investigate the relationship between RDW levels and the prognosis of patients with urological tumors. Results: This study comprised 15 retrospective studies involving 9492 patients. Increased pretreatment RDW was associated with poorer overall survival(hazard ratio [HR]: 1.52; 95% CI: 1.27-1.82;p<0.001), cancer-specific survival (HR: 1.34;95% CI: 1.15-1.57; p <0.001) and progression-free survival (HR: 1.53;95% CI: 1.26-1.86;p<0.001). Conclusion: High pretreatment RDW might predict poor survival for patients with urologic cancers.

Clinical utility of haematological inflammatory biomarkers in predicting 30-day mortality in hospitalised adult patients with COVID-19.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a multisystem disease affecting respiratory, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, neurological, immunological and haematological systems. The most important indices that have been studied are platelet (PLT) indices in addition to the PLT count and red blood cell distribution width (RDW). This retrospective study included 95 patients with COVID-19 and was conducted at the Hospital Isolation, Scientific and Medical Research Centre and Clinical Pathology Department at Zagazig University Hospitals, Egypt over 6 months from March to August 2021. All patients on admission had a full blood count, which included white blood cell (WBC) count, haemoglobin, RDW, PLT count and its indices in addition to PLT-to-WBC ratio (PWR) and PLT-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), which were calculated for all the study patients. There were significant linear correlations for higher levels of the PLR, PWR and RDW and mortality rate (p=0.03, p < 0.001 and p < 0.001 respectively). Moreover, on multivariable analysis the RDW, PLT count and PWR levels were independent prognostic predictors for mortality with a hazard ratio [HR] of 1.25 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.09-1.44, p=0.002), 1.00 (95% CI 0.99-1.00, p=0.03) and 2.3 (95% CI 1.21-4.48, p=0.01) respectively. The RDW and PLT indices are accessible predictors that can be valuable prognostic factors for survival assessment and risk stratification of COVID-19.

Correlation between Red Blood Cell Distribution Width (RDW) and Degrees of Severity in Coroner Heart Disease (CHD) Patients Based on Syntax I Score

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is one of the most common causes of death in the world. CHD is caused by the narrowing of the arteries of the heart due to a buildup of fat on the vessel walls (atherosclerosis), therefore inhibiting blood flow to organs. Red blood cell distribution width (RDW) represents the variability of red blood cell size and has been shown to correlate with the incidence of atherosclerosis. RDW is also often used to identify diseases associated with heart failure. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between the level of RDW and the severity in CHD patients. A cross-sectional study was carried out on 62 patients from July to December 2020 at Dr. Zainoel Abidin Hospital, Banda Aceh. RDW level was obtained from the patients medical record and divided into two categories (group 1 < 13.0295 and group 2 >13.029%). Severity of CHD patients was calculated using the SYNTAX I score and divided into three categories (low, moderate, and high). The correlation between the baseline characteristics, laboratory results, RDW level, and severity of CHD was assessed statistically at a 95% confidence level. The majority of patients with CHD were men aged 56-65 years and had BMI obesity I and hypertension. Patient baseline characteristics (gender, age, body mass index, history of hypertension and diabetes) and laboratory results did not have a significant relationship with the RDW level and the severity of CHD (p>0.05). The correlation value between RDW level and severity of CHD is p=0.435 which indicated no significant relationship between them.

High red blood cell distribution width is associated with the mortality of critically ill cancer patients: A propensity-matching study.

The red blood cell distribution width (RDW) is related to the mortality of patients with malignant tumors, but the relationship between RDW and the prognosis of cancer patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) has not been fully clarified. To investigate the role of RDW in predicting the prognosis of critically ill cancer patients. A propensity score matching (PSM) study was conducted using data from adult patients with cancer, admitted to the ICU from the Intensive Care Medical Information Market IV (MIMIC-IV, v. 1.4) database. The correlation between RDW and ICU all-cause mortality was evaluated using a logistic regression model; stratification factors were considered. Additionally, a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to compare the prognostic values of various blood biomarkers. Overall, 4836 cancer patients were included. The optimal critical RDW value was 15%. The RDW levels were independently correlated with ICU mortality in critically ill cancer patients, with odds ratios (ORs) of 1.56 (1.12-2.18) in the original cohort, 1.64 (1.27-2.12) in the imputation cohort, 1.65 (1.22-2.24) in the matched cohort, and 1.55 (1.19-2.03) in the weighted cohort. The forecasted performance of RDW is better than other blood biomarkers with an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.637 (0.591-0.683). The RDW has a prognostic value in critically ill cancer patients and a high RDW is independently associated with high mortality.

Prognostic Value of Red Blood Cell Distribution Width (RDW) in the Recurrence of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Following Curative Resection

Although surgery is associated with an acceptable cure rate, tumor recurrence is still a challenging issue in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. Red blood cell distribution width (RDW) is considered an inflammatory marker for predicting overall mortality in a wide spectrum of malignancies. In the current study, the prognostic role of pre- and postoperative RDW in HCC recurrence after liver resection (LRx) is investigated. In 395 patients, RDW levels were evaluated preoperatively as well as six and twelve months after curative LRx. The RDW cutoff values were determined using receiver operating characteristic curves (ROCs) according to the recurrence-free survival (RFS). Survival analyses were performed using the Kaplan-Meier, and differences were compared using the Log rank test. The RFS was significantly higher among patients with low RDW at the 6th month and 12th month, postoperatively (P < 0.001 and P = 0.028). RDW levels of higher than 16.15% at the 6th (HR: 2.047, P <0.001) and higher than 15.85% at 12th (HR: 3.105, P < 0.002) months after liver resection were independent predictors of RFS. Postoperative RDW values seem to be predictive of tumor recurrence in HCC patients. RDW levels at the 6th and 12th months postoperatively were independent predictors of recurrence after LRx.

Elevated red cell distribution width predicts residual dizziness in patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo.

ObjectiveThe present study aimed to determine whether residual dizziness (RD) after successful repositioning treatment in benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) patients could be predicted by red blood cell distribution width (RDW).Materials and methodsIn this study, a total of 303 BBPV patients hospitalized at the neurology department were investigated. The enrolled patients were divided into two groups after successful repositioning treatment: non-RD group included patients who were completely cured, and RD group included patients with RD. We collected data on all subjects, including general information, blood routine examination, blood biochemical examination, and magnetic resonance imaging tests.ResultsThe mean RDW values of patients in the RD group were significantly higher than that in the non-RD group (13.63 ± 1.8 vs. 12.5 ± 0.8; p < 0.001). In subsequent multivariate analysis, elevated RDW levels were a statistically significant risk factor associated with the occurrence of RD [odds ratio = 2.62, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.88–3.64, p < 0.001]. The area under the ROC curve was 0.723 in terms of its predictive ability to distinguish patients with RD. A cut-off point of 12.95% of RDW predicted RD with a sensitivity of 75.6% and a specificity of 69.5%. Moreover, the AUC for the ability of the RDW to predict recurrence were 0.692 (95% CI = 0.561–0.831; p < 0.014).ConclusionsElevated RDW level was related to increased risk of RD among BPPV patients, requiring further efforts to clarify the actual underlying pathophysiology.

Red Blood Cell Distribution Width as Novel Biomarker in Cardiovascular Diseases: A Literature Review.

Red blood cell distribution width (RDW) is a measure of the change in size of red blood cells and it is used in combination with other hematological parameters for the differential diagnosis of anemias. Recent evidence suggested that the change in RDW level may be a predictive biomarker of morbidity and mortality in cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Cardiovascular diseases are the most common cause of death globally as compared to cancer and communicable diseases. Early diagnosis and prompt intervention of these diseases are very important to minimize their complications. Nowadays, the diagnosis of most cardiovascular diseases majorly depends on clinical judgment, electrocardiography and biochemical parameters. Red blood cell distribution width as a new predictive biomarker may play a pivotal role in assessing the severity and progression of CVDs. However, the underlying mechanisms for the association between RDW and CVDs are not clear. A deeper understanding of their association could help the physicians in more careful identification, early prevention, intervention, and treatment to prevent adverse cardiovascular events. This review aims to elaborate on the recent knowledge on the association between RDW and cardiovascular diseases and some possible pathophysiological mechanisms.

Influence of Red Blood Cell Distribution Width on All-Cause Death in Critical Diabetic Patients with Acute Kidney Injury.

ObjectiveTo explore the relationship between red blood cell distribution width (RDW) and all-cause death in critical diabetic patients with acute kidney injury (AKI).MethodsThe clinical data of critical diabetic patients with AKI in MIMIC-III database were analyzed retrospectively. According to the survival status of 28-day after AKI and levels of RDW, patients were divided into survival and death groups, high RDW (RDW > 15.3%) and low RDW groups (RDW ≤ 15.3%). Kaplan–Meier curves were used to compare the survival rates of diabetic patients with AKI in different RDW and AKI stages, and Cox regression analysis was used to evaluate the risk factors of 28-day all-cause death in critical diabetic patients with AKI.ResultsA total of 5200 patients with critical diabetic patients with AKI were included in this study with the male to female ratio of 1.53:1. The mean follow-up time was 24.97 ± 7.14 days, and the 28-day all-cause mortality was 17.9% (931/5200). Age, RDW, blood urea nitrogen, serum creatinine, lactic acid, proportion of AKI stage, sepsis and respiratory failure in the death group were higher than those in the survival group, while mean arterial pressure (MAP) and red blood cell count were lower than those in the survival group. Kaplan–Meier analysis showed that the 28-day survival rate of the high RDW group was significantly lower than that of the low RDW group (log-rank χ2 = 9.970, P = 0.002). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that advanced age (HR = 1.042, 95% CI = 1.021–1.063), decreased MAP (HR = 0.984, 95% CI = 0.969–0.998), stage 3 AKI (HR = 3.318, 95% CI = 1.598–6.890) and increased RDW (HR = 1.255, 95% CI = 1.123–1.403) were independent risk factors of 28-day all-cause death in critical diabetic patients with AKI (P < 0.05).ConclusionHigh level of RDW is an important risk factor of all-cause death in critical diabetic patients with AKI, and it may be used as a valuable index to classify the mortality.

The relationship between red blood cell distribution width at admission and post-stroke fatigue in the acute phase of acute ischemic stroke.

IntroductionPost-stroke fatigue (PSF) is a common complication in the patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS). This prospective study aimed to investigate the relationship between red blood cell distribution width (RDW) at admission and PSF in the acute phase.MethodsThe AIS patients were enrolled in Nantong Third People's Hospital, consecutively. PSF in the acute phase was scored according to the Fatigue Severity Scale. Levels of RDW were measured at admission. The associations were analyzed using multivariate regression and restricted cubic splines (RCS).ResultsFrom April 2021 to March 2022, a total of 206 AIS patients (mean age, 69.3 ± 10.7 years; 52.9% men) were recruited. After the adjustment for potential confounding factors, RDW at admission remained the independent associated factor with PSF in the acute phase (OR [odds ratio], 1.635; 95% CI [confidence interval], 1.153–2.318; P = 0.006). The linear dose-response associations of RDW with PSF in the acute phase were found, based on the RCS model (P for non-linearity = 0.372; P for linearity = 0.037). These results remained significant in other models.ConclusionsRDW at admission could serve as a novel biomarker of PSF in the acute phase of AIS.

C-reactive protein Lymphocyte Ratio in the Diagnosis of Pulmonary Tuberculosis

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is still a severe problem in underdeveloped and developing countries. Diagnostic tests are unavailable in every health institution, and TB culture can take up to 45 days. Therefore, there is a need for cheaper, faster, and easily accessible diagnostic methods that can guide the diagnosis. This study aimed to determine whether red blood cell distribution width (RDW), C-reactive protein (CRP)-lymphocyte ratio (CLR), platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and lymphocyte-monocyte ratio (LMR) can be used as biomarkers in the diagnosis of pulmonary TB in patients with no comorbidities.&#x0D; Material and Methods: Files of microbiologically confirmed 122 patients with pulmonary TB and 153 patients in whom pulmonary TB was excluded were retrospectively reviewed. Out of them, patients with comorbidities were excluded from the study. Eighty-one patients with TB and 100 controls were included in the study.&#x0D; Results: The lymphocyte, eosinophil, and LMR levels remained significantly lower in the TB group, while neutrophil, monocyte, RDW, platelet, and PLR levels were higher in the same group.&#x0D; Conclusion: In those patients suspicious of pulmonary TB, higher levels of RDW, PLR, and CLR, whereas lower levels of eosinophil, PDW, and LMR may predict the diagnosis of pulmonary TB in previously healthy individuals.

Prognostic significance of pretreatment red blood cell distribution width in primary diffuse large B-cell lymphoma of the central nervous system for 3P medical approaches in multiple cohorts.

Predicting the clinical outcomes of primary diffuse large B-cell lymphoma of the central nervous system (PCNS-DLBCL) to methotrexate-based combination immunochemotherapy treatment in advance and therefore administering the tailored treatment to the individual is consistent with the principle of predictive, preventive, and personalized medicine (PPPM/3PM). The red blood cell distribution width (RDW) has been reported to be associated with the clinical outcomes of multiple cancer. However, its prognostic role in PCNS-DLBCL is yet to be evaluated. Therefore, we aimed to effectively stratify PCNS-DLBCL patients with different prognosis in advance and early identify the patients who were appropriate to methotrexate-based combination immunochemotherapy based on the pretreatment level of RDW and a clinical prognostic model. A prospective-retrospective, multi-cohort study was conducted from 2010 to 2020. We evaluated RDW in 179 patients (retrospective discovery cohorts of Huashan Center and Renji Center and prospective validation cohort of Cancer Center) with PCNS-DLBCL treated with methotrexate-based combination immunochemotherapy. A generalized additive model with locally estimated scatterplot smoothing was used to identify the relationship between pretreatment RDW levels and clinical outcomes. The high vs low risk of RDW combined with MSKCC score was determined by a minimal P-value approach. The clinical outcomes in different groups were then investigated. The pretreatment RDW showed a U-shaped relationship with the risk of overall survival (OS, P = 0.047). The low RDW (< 12.6) and high RDW (> 13.4) groups showed significantly worse OS (P < 0.05) and progression-free survival (PFS; P < 0.05) than the median group (13.4 > RDW > 12.6) in the discovery and validation cohort, respectively. RDW could predict the clinical outcomes successfully. In the discovery cohort, RDW achieved the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.9206 in predicting the clinical outcomes, and the predictive value (AUC = 0.7177) of RDW was verified in the validation cohort. In addition, RDW combined with MSKCC predictive model can distinguish clinical outcomes with the AUC of 0.8348 for OS and 0.8125 for PFS. Compared with the RDW and MSKCC prognosis variables, the RDW combined with MSKCC scores better identified a subgroup of patients with favorable long-term survival in the validation cohort (P < 0.001). RDW combined MSKCC score remained to be independently associated with clinical outcomes by multivariable analysis. Based on the pretreatment RDW and MSKCC scores, a novel predictive tool was established to stratify PCNS-DLBCL patients with different prognosis effectively. The predictive model developed accordingly is promising to judge the response of PCNS-DLBCL to methotrexate-based combination immunochemotherapy treatment. Thus, hematologists and oncologists could tailor and adjust therapeutic modalities by monitoring RDW in a prospective rather than the reactive manner, which could save medical expenditures and is a key concept in 3PM. In brief, RDW combined with MSKCC model could serve as an important tool for predicting the response to different treatment and the clinical outcomes for PCNS-DLBCL, which could conform with the principles of predictive, preventive, and personalized medicine. The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13167-022-00290-5.

Red blood cell distribution width at admission predicts outcome in critically ill patients with kidney failure: a retrospective cohort study based on the MIMIC-IV database

Purpose We aimed to explore whether red blood cell distribution width (RDW) could serve as a biomarker to predict outcomes in critically ill patients with kidney failure in this study. Materials and methods This retrospective study was conducted with the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV (MIMIC-IV).A total of 674 patients were divided into three groups based on tertiles of RDW. We used the generalized additive model, Kaplan–Meier curve, and Cox proportional hazards models to evaluate the association between RDW and clinical outcomes. We then performed subgroup analyses to investigate the stability of the associations between RDW and all-cause mortality. Results Nonlinear and J-shaped curves were observed in the generalized additive model. Kaplan–Meier analysis showed that patients with elevated RDW had a lower survival rate. The Cox regression model indicated that high levels of RDW were most closely associated with ICU mortality and 30-day mortality (HR = 4.71, 95% CI: 1.69–11.64 and HR = 6.62, 95% CI: 2.84–15.41). Subgroup analyses indicated that the associations between RDW and all-cause mortality were stable. Conclusions Elevated levels of RDW were associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality, and RDW could be an independent prognostic factor for kidney failure.

Red blood cell distribution width in different time-points of peripheral thrombolysis period in acute ischemic stroke is associated with prognosis.

The relationship between red blood cell distribution width (RDW) in peripheral thrombolysis period and prognosis is not fully clarified in those who underwent intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) for acute ischemic stroke (AIS). Our study aimed to clarify this issue. A retrospective analysis of about 510 consecutive thrombolysis cases for AIS from January 2015 to March 2019 in a single-center database was done and followed-up for 3 months. We used univariate and multivariable models to evaluate the relationship between RDW levels at various time-points after IVT and the occurrence risk of hemorrhagic transformation (HT) and recurrent stroke, and used COX regression to assess the hazard ratios of outcomes with RDW levels. Elevated risk of HT was found in higher tertiles of RDW (OR = 10.282, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.841–39.209, P < 0.001 in Tp tertile G3; OR = 5.650, 95% CI 1.992–16.025, P = 0.001 in T24 tertile G3; OR = 4.308, 95% CI 1.480–12.542, P = 0.007 in T48 tertile G3 and OR = 6.384, 95% CI 2.201–18.515, P = 0.001 in T72 tertile G3, respectively). Occurrence of recurrent stroke was highest in the RDW tertile G3 (HR = 4.580, 95% CI 2.123–9.883, P < 0.001 in Tp tertile G3; HR = 5.731, 95% CI 2.498–13.151, P = 0.001 in T24 tertile G3; HR = 3.019, 95% CI 1.969–4.059, P = 0.031 in T48 tertile G3; HR = 3.318, 95% CI 1.598–6.890, P = 0.001 in T72 tertile G3, respectively). Mean RDW levels ≥13.60 among AIS patients undergoing thrombolysis was associated with higher risk of HT and recurrent stroke.

Red Blood Cell Distribution Width Is Associated With Adverse Kidney Outcomes in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease.

BackgroundChronic kidney disease (CKD) is a global public health issue. Red blood cell distribution width (RDW) is a recently recognized potential inflammatory marker, which mirrors the variability in erythrocyte volume. Studies indicate that elevated RDW is associated with increased risk of mortality in CKD patients, while evidence regarding the impact of RDW on kidney outcome is limited.MethodsAltogether 523 patients with CKD stage 1–4 from a single center were enrolled. We identified the cutoff point for RDW level using maximally selected log-rank statistics. The time-averaged estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) slope was determined using linear mixed effects models. Rapid CKD progression was defined by an eGFR decline >5 ml/min/1.73 m2/year. The composite endpoints were defined as doubling of serum creatinine, a 30% decline in initial eGFR or incidence of eGFR < 15 ml/min/1.73 m2, whichever occurred first. Multivariable logistic regression or Cox proportional hazards regression was performed, as appropriate.ResultsDuring a median follow-up of 26 [interquartile range (IQR): 12, 36] months, 65 (12.43%) patients suffered a rapid CKD progression and 172 (32.89%) composite kidney events occurred at a rate of 32.3/100 patient-years in the high RDW group, compared with 14.7/100 patient-years of the remainder. The annual eGFR change was clearly steeper in high RDW group {−3.48 [95% confidence interval (CI): −4.84, −2.12] ml/min/1.73 m2/year vs. −1.86 [95% CI: −2.27, −1.45] ml/min/1.73 m2/year among those with RDW of >14.5% and ≤14.5%, respectively, P for between-group difference <0.05}. So was the risk of rapid renal function loss (odds ratio = 6.79, 95% CI: 3.08–14.97) and composite kidney outcomes (hazards ratio = 1.51, 95% CI: 1.02–2.23). The significant association remained consistent in the sensitivity analysis.ConclusionIncreased RDW value is independently associated with accelerated CKD deterioration. Findings of this study suggest RDW be a potential indicator for risk of CKD progression.

Prognostic value of RDW alone and in combination with NT-proBNP in patients with heart failure.

BackgroundRed blood cell distribution width (RDW) and N‐terminal pro brain natriuretic peptide (NT‐proBNP) may predict the prognosis of heart failure (HF). However, the impact of combined RDW and NT‐proBNP levels as a prognostic marker of HF remains unclear and the significance of this combination at various time‐points has not been sufficiently studied.HypothesisRDW can predict prognosis in HF at various time‐points and combination with NT‐proBNP improves the prognostic value.MethodsPatients admitted to HF care unit of Fuwai Hospital CAMS&PUMC (Beijing, China) with a diagnosis of HF from November 2008 to November 2018 were analyzed retrospectively.ResultsIn total, 3231 patients with available RDW data at admission were evaluated (median age 58 years, 71.9% males, 39.7% coronary heart disease, 68.6% New York Heart Association [NYHA] III or IV). Median RDW and NT‐proBNP at admission were 13.4% (interquartile range [IQR]: 12.7%–14.5%), and 1723.00 pg/ml (IQR: 754.00–4006.25 pg/ml), respectively. During 2.9‐year median follow‐up, all‐cause death occurred in 1075 (33.27%) patients. Kaplan–Meier survival curve and Cox proportional‐hazard models, showed patients in the top quarter RDW had a 32.0% increased mortality compared to the bottom quarter (hazard ratio: 4.39, 95% confidence interval: 3.59–5.38; p <.001). The top quarter RDW retained independent prognostic value across HF with reduced ejection fraction [HFrEF], HF with mid‐range ejection fraction [HFmrEF], and HF with preserved ejection fraction [HFpEF] subgroups. Patients were subsequently divided into four groups by median RDW and NT‐proBNP. Comparison of Kaplan–Meier survival curves for various groups showed good risk stratification (p < .001).ConclusionsRDW is an independent predictor of mortality among patients with HF in the short‐, medium‐, and long‐term. Combination of RDW and NT‐proBNP improves the prognostic value. This is true across all clinical subtypes of heart failure (HFrEF, HFmrEF, HFpEF), and among most subgroups of patients with various comorbidities (infection, diabetes, hypertension).

Diagnostic accuracy of red blood cell distribution width for neonatal sepsis.

Red blood cell distribution width (RDW) is a biomarker for the diagnosis and prognosis of many diseases. However, the relevance between RDW and neonatal sepsis (NS) have not reached a consensus yet; the perform of RDW in the diagnosis of neonatal sepsis is still not clear. The aim of this meta-analysis was to estimate the significance of RDW in neonatal sepsis and the perform of RDW in diagnosis of neonatal sepsis. We used Pubmed, Embase, Web of science, CNKI and Google academic database to find all articles that met the inclusion criteria until July 1, 2020. Fifteen eligible studies involving 1362 newborns were included in the meta-analysis after two independent investigators read the title, abstract and full text in detail. The pooled result of this meta-analysis showed that RDW was significantly higher in the NS group than in the control group (WMD=3.224; 95%CI: 2.359-4.090, P<0.001). In addition, the overall pooled sensitivity, specificity, PLR, NLR and DOR were 0.88 (95%CI:0.66-0.96), 0.90 (95%CI:0.65-0.98), 9.2 (95%CI:2.1-40.3), 0.14(95%CI:0.04-0.43) and 66.9 (95%CI:8.73-513.26), respectively. The area under the SROC curve (AUC) was 0.95 (95%CI:0.93-0.96). The meta-analysis demonstrated that newborns with sepsis had an elevated RDW level than healthy controls. RDW levels have significant correlated with neonatal sepsis; and RDW can be used as a cheap and satisfactory diagnostic biomarker for neonatal sepsis with a relatively high performance.

Diagnostic Accuracy of the RDW for Predicting Death in COVID-19.

Background and Objectives: An association between high red blood cell distribution width (RDW) and mortality has been found in several diseases, including infection and sepsis. Some studies have aimed at determining the association of elevated RDW with adverse prognosis in COVID-19, but its usefulness has not been well established. The objective of this study was to determine the accuracy of the RDW, measured at hospital admission and discharge, for predicting death in patients with COVID-19. Materials andMethods: An observational, retrospective, longitudinal, and analytical study was conducted in two different COVID-19 reference centers in the state of Guanajuato, Mexico. A total of 323 patients hospitalized by COVID-19 were included. Results: We found higher RDW levels at the time of hospital admission in the non-survivors group compared to levels in survivors (median = 13.6 vs. 13.0, p < 0.001). Final RDW levels were even higher in the deceased group when compared with those of survivors (median = 14.6 [IQR, 12.67–15.6] vs. 12.9 [IQR, 12.2–13.5], p < 0.001). For patients who died, an RDW > 14.5% was more common at the time of death than for patients who survived at the time of discharge (81 vs. 13 patients, p < 0.001; RR = 2.3, 95% CI 1.89–2.81). Conclusions: The RDW is an accessible and economical parameter that, together with other characteristics of the presentation and evolution of patients with COVID-19, can be helpful in determining the prognosis. An RDW that increases during hospitalization could be a more important mortality predictor than the RDW at hospital admission.