Red cell distribution width to platelet ratio: New and promising prognostic marker in acute pancreatitis

AIM: To evaluate the accuracy of red cell distribution width (RDW) to platelet ratio (RPR) to predict in-hospital mortality in acute pancreatitis (AP).

Red cell distribution width/platelet ratio estimates the 3-year risk of decompensation in Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease-induced cirrhosis

BACKGROUND For compensated advanced chronic liver disease(cACLD)patients,the first decompensation represents a dramatically worsening prognostic event.Based on the first decompensation event(DE),the transition to decompensated advanced chronic liver disease(dACLD)can occur through two modalities referred to as acute decompensation(AD)and non-AD(NAD),respectively.Clinically Significant Portal Hypertension(CSPH)is considered the strongest predictor of decompensation in these patients.However,due to its invasiveness and costs,CSPH is almost never evaluated in clinical practice.Therefore,recognizing noninvasively predicting tools still have more appeal across healthcare systems.The red cell distribution width to platelet ratio(RPR)has been reported to be an indicator of hepatic fibrosis in Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease(MASLD).However,its predictive role for the decompensation has never been explored.AIM In this observational study,we investigated the clinical usage of RPR in predicting DEs in MASLD-related cACLD patients.METHODS Fourty controls and 150 MASLD-cACLD patients were consecutively enrolled and followed up(FUP)semiannually for 3 years.At baseline,biochemical,clinical,and Liver Stiffness Measurement(LSM),Child-Pugh(CP),Model for End-Stage Liver Disease(MELD),aspartate aminotransferase/platelet count ratio index(APRI),Fibrosis-4(FIB-4),Albumin-Bilirubin(ALBI),ALBI-FIB-4,and RPR were collected.During FUP,DEs(timing and modaities)were recorded.CSPH was assessed at the baseline and on DE occurrence according to the available Clinical Practice Guidelines.RESULTS Of 150 MASLD-related cACLD patients,43(28.6%)progressed to dACLD at a median time of 28.9 months(29 NAD and 14 AD).Baseline RPR values were significantly higher in cACLD in comparison to controls,as well as MELD,CP,APRI,FIB-4,ALBI,ALBI-FIB-4,and LSM in dACLD-progressing compared to cACLD individuals[all P<0.0001,except for FIB-4(P:0.007)and ALBI(P:0.011)].Receiving operator curve analysis revealed RPR>0.472 and>0.894 as the best cut-offs in the prediction respectively of 3-year first DE,as well as its superiority compared to the other non-invasive tools examined.RPR(P:0.02)and the presence of baseline-CSPH(P:0.04)were significantly and independently associated with the DE.Patients presenting baseline-CSPH and RPR>0.472 showed higher risk of decompensation(P:0.0023).CONCLUSION Altogether these findings suggest the RPR as a valid and potentially applicable non-invasive tool in the prediction of timing and modalities of decompensation in MASLD-related cACLD patients.

Red cell distribution width-to-albumin ratio is a simple promising prognostic marker in acute cholangitis requiring biliary drainage

Background: It is crucial to assess the severity of acute cholangitis(AC). There are currently several prognostic markers. However, the accuracies of these markers are not satisfied. The present study aimed to investigate the predictive value of the red cell distribution width(RDW)-to-albumin ratio(RAR) for the prognosis of AC. Methods: We retrospectively evaluated consecutive patients diagnosed with AC between May 2019 and March 2022. RAR was calculated, and its predictive ability for in-hospital mortality, intensive care unit(ICU) admission, bacteremia, and the length of hospitalization were analyzed. Results: Out of 438 patients, 34(7.8%) died. Multivariate analysis showed that malignant etiology [odds ratio(OR) = 4.816, 95% confidence interval(CI): 1.936-11.980], creatinine(OR = 1.649, 95% CI: 1.095-2.484), and RAR(OR = 2.064, 95% CI: 1.494-2.851) were independent risk factors for mortality. When adjusted for relevant covariates, including age, sex, malignant etiology, Tokyo severity grading(TSG), Charlson comorbidity index, and creatinine, RAR significantly predicted mortality(adjusted OR = 1.833, 95% CI: 1.280-2.624). When the cut-off of RAR was set to 3.8, its sensitivity and specificity for mortality were 94.1% and 56.7%, respectively. Patients with an RAR of > 3.8 had a 20.9-fold(OR = 20.9, 95% CI: 4.9-88.6) greater risk of mortality than the remaining patients. The area under the curve value of RAR for mortality was 0.835(95% CI: 0.770-0.901), which was significantly higher than that of TSG and the other prognostic markers, such as C-reactive protein-to-albumin ratio, and procalcitonin-to-albumin ratio. Lastly, RAR was not inferior to TSG in predicting ICU admission, bacteremia, and the length of hospitalization. Conclusions: RAR successfully predicted the in-hospital mortality, ICU admission, bacteremia, and the length of hospitalization of patients with AC, especially in-hospital mortality. RAR is a promising marker that is more convenient than TSG and other prognostic markers for predicting the prognosis of patients with AC.

Predictive value of red blood cell distribution width and hematocrit for short-term outcomes and prognosis in colorectal cancer patients undergoing radical surgery

BACKGROUND Previous studies have reported that low hematocrit levels indicate poor survival in patients with ovarian cancer and cervical cancer,the prognostic value of hematocrit for colorectal cancer(CRC)patients has not been determined.The prognostic value of red blood cell distribution width(RDW)for CRC patients was controversial.AIM To investigate the impact of RDW and hematocrit on the short-term outcomes and long-term prognosis of CRC patients who underwent radical surgery.METHODS Patients who were diagnosed with CRC and underwent radical CRC resection between January 2011 and January 2020 at a single clinical center were included.The short-term outcomes,overall survival(OS)and disease-free survival(DFS)were compared among the different groups.Cox analysis was also conducted to identify independent risk factors for OS and DFS.RESULTS There were 4258 CRC patients who underwent radical surgery included in our study.A total of 1573 patients were in the lower RDW group and 2685 patients were in the higher RDW group.There were 2166 and 2092 patients in the higher hematocrit group and lower hematocrit group,respectively.Patients in the higher RDW group had more intraoperative blood loss(P<0.01)and more overall complications(P<0.01)than did those in the lower RDW group.Similarly,patients in the lower hematocrit group had more intraoperative blood loss(P=0.012),longer hospital stay(P=0.016)and overall complications(P<0.01)than did those in the higher hematocrit group.The higher RDW group had a worse OS and DFS than did the lower RDW group for tumor node metastasis(TNM)stage I(OS,P<0.05;DFS,P=0.001)and stage II(OS,P=0.004;DFS,P=0.01)than the lower RDW group;the lower hematocrit group had worse OS and DFS for TNM stage II(OS,P<0.05;DFS,P=0.001)and stage III(OS,P=0.001;DFS,P=0.001)than did the higher hematocrit group.Preoperative hematocrit was an independent risk factor for OS[P=0.017,hazard ratio(HR)=1.256,95%confidence interval(CI):1.041-1.515]and DFS(P=0.035,HR=1.194,95%CI:1.013-1.408).CONCLUSION A higher preoperative RDW and lower hematocrit were associated with more postoperative complications.However,only hematocrit was an independent risk factor for OS and DFS in CRC patients who underwent radical surgery,while RDW was not.

Application of neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio and red blood cell distribution width in diabetes mellitus complicated with heart failure

BACKGROUND Accumulating clinical evidence has shown that diabetes mellitus(DM)is a serious risk factor for cardiovascular disorders and an important factor for adverse cardiovascular events.AIM To explore the value of the combined determination of the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio(NLR)and red blood cell distribution width(RDW)in the early diagnosis and prognosis evaluation of DM complicated with heart failure(HF).METHODS We retrospectively analyzed clinical data on 65 patients with type 2 DM(T2DM)complicated with HF(research group,Res)and 60 concurrent patients with uncomplicated T2DM(control group,Con)diagnosed at Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital between January 2019 and December 2021.The NLR and RDW values were determined and comparatively analyzed,and their levels in T2DM+HF patients with different cardiac function grades were recorded.The receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves were plotted to determine the NLR and RDW values(alone and in combination)for the early diagnosis of HF.The correlation between NLR and RDW with the presence or absence of cardiac events was also investigated.RESULTS Higher NLR and RDW levels were identified in the Res vs the Con groups(P<0.05).The NLR and RDW increased gradually and synchronously with the deterioration of cardiac function in the Res group,with marked differences in their levels among patients with grade II,III,and IV HF(P<0.05).ROC curve analysis revealed that NLR combined with RDW detection had an area under the curve of 0.915,a sensitivity of 76.9%,and a specificity of 100%for the early diagnosis of HF.Furthermore,HF patients with cardiac events showed higher NLR and RDW values compared with HF patients without cardiac events.CONCLUSION NLR and RDW were useful laboratory indicators for the early diagnosis of DM complicated with HF,and their joint detection was beneficial for improving diagnostic efficiency.Additionally,NLR and RDW values were directly proportional to patient outcomes.

Enhancing predictive accuracy in hypertriglyceridemia-induced acute pancreatitis:Role of red cell distribution width and prospective studies

This letter addresses the study titled“Red cell distribution width:A predictor of the severity of hypertriglyceridemia-induced acute pancreatitis”by Lv et al published in the World Journal of Experimental Medicine.The study offers a valuable analysis of red cell distribution width(RDW)as a predictive marker for persistent organ failure in patients with hypertriglyceridemia-induced acute pancreatitis.The study results suggest that RDW,combined with the Bedside Index for Severity in Acute Pancreatitis score,could enhance the predictive accuracy for severe outcomes.Further investigation into the role of RDW in different severities of acute pancreatitis is recommended.Additionally,the need for large-scale and multicenter prospective studies to validate these findings is emphasized.

The Prognostic Value of Red Cell Distribution Width in Critically Ill Cerebral Infarction Patients:A Retrospective Cohort Study

Objective:Red blood cell distribution width(RDW)has been utilized as a prognostic indicator for mortality risk assessment in cardiovascular and cerebrovascular patients.Nevertheless,the prognostic significance of RDW in critically ill patients with cerebral infarction is yet to be investigated.The objective of this study is to examine the association between RDW and the risk of all-cause mortality in cerebral infarction patients admitted to the intensive care unit(ICU).Method:A retrospective cohort study was conducted using the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV 2.2(MIMIC-IV)intensive care dataset for data analysis.The main results were the all-cause mortality rates at 3 and 12 months of follow-up.Cumulative curves were plotted using the Kaplan-Meier method,and Cox proportional hazards analysis was used to examine the relationship between RDW and mortality rates in critically ill cerebral infarction patients.Results:The findings indicate that RDW serves as a significant prognostic factor for mortality risk in critically ill stroke patients,specifically at the 3 and 12-month follow-up periods.The observed correlation between increasing RDW levels and higher mortality rates among cerebral infarction patients further supports the potential utility of RDW as a predictive indicator.Conclusion:RDW emerges as an independent predictor of mortality risk during the 3 and 12-month follow-up periods for critically ill patients with cerebral infarction.

Value of red blood cell distribution width in prediction of diastolic dysfunction in cirrhotic cardiomyopathy

BACKGROUND Clinical diagnosis of cirrhotic cardiomyopathy(CCM) often encounters challenges of lack of timeliness and disease severity, with the commonly positive indicator usually associated with advanced heart failure.AIM To explore suitable biomarkers for early CCM prediction.METHODS A total of 505 eligible patients were enrolled in this study and divided into four groups according to Child-Pugh classification: Group Ⅰ, Class A without CCM(105 cases);Group Ⅱ, Class A with CCM(175 cases);Group Ⅲ, Class B with CCM(139 cases);and Group Ⅳ, Class C with CCM(86 cases). Logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic(ROC) curve analyses were performed to determine whether red blood cell distribution width(RDW) was an independent risk factor for CCM risk. The relationships between RDW and Child-Pugh scores, Model for End-Stage Liver Disease(MELD) scores, and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide(NT-proBNP) were analyzed by Pearson correlation analysis.RESULTS A constant RDW increase was evident from Group Ⅰ to Group Ⅳ(12.54 ± 0.85, 13.29 ± 1.19, 14.30 ± 1.96, and 16.25 ± 2.13, respectively). Pearson correlation analysis showed that RDW was positively correlated with Child-Pugh scores(r = 0.642, P < 0.001), MELD scores(r = 0.592, P < 0.001), and NT-proBNP(r = 0.715, P < 0.001). Furthermore, between Group Ⅰ and Group Ⅱ, RDW was the only significant index(odds ratio: 2.175, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.549-3.054, P < 0.001), and it reached statistical significance when examined by ROC curve analysis(area under the curve: 0.686, 95%CI: 0.624-0.748, P < 0.001).CONCLUSION RDW can serve as an effective and accessible clinical indicator for the prediction of diastolic dysfunction in CCM, in which a numerical value of more than 13.05% may indicate an increasing CCM risk.

Red cell distribution width: A predictor of the severity of hypertriglyceridemia-induced acute pancreatitis

BACKGROUND Compared with patients with other causes of acute pancreatitis,those with hypertriglyceridemia-induced acute pancreatitis(HTG-AP)are more likely to develop persistent organ failure(POF).Therefore,recognizing the individuals at risk of developing POF early in the HTG-AP process is a vital for improving outcomes.Bedside index for severity in acute pancreatitis(BISAP),a simple parameter that is obtained 24 h after admission,is an ideal index to predict HTG-AP severity;however,the suboptimal sensitivity limits its clinical application.Hence,current clinical scoring systems and biochemical parameters are not sufficient for predicting HTG-AP severity.AIM To elucidate the early predictive value of red cell distribution width(RDW)for POF in HTG-AP.METHODS In total,102 patients with HTG-AP were retrospectively enrolled.Demographic and clinical data,including RDW,were collected from all patients on admission.RESULTS Based on the Revised Atlanta Classification,37(33%)of 102 patients with HTG-AP were diagnosed with POF.On admission,RDW was significantly higher in patients with HTG-AP and POF than in those without POF(14.4%vs 12.5%,P<0.001).The receiver operating characteristic curve demonstrated a good discrim-inative power of RDW for POF with a cutoff of 13.1%,where the area under the curve(AUC),sensitivity,and specificity were 0.85,82.4%,and 77.9%,respectively.When the RDW was≥13.1%and one point was added to the original BISAP to obtain a new BISAP score,we achieved a higher AUC,sensitivity,and specificity of 0.89,91.2%,and 67.6%,respectively.CONCLUSION RDW is a promising predictor of POF in patients with HTG-AP,and the addition of RDW can promote the sensitivity of BISAP.

Is increased red cell distribution width an indicating marker of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and fibrotic stage?

AIM:To evaluate the red cell distribution width(RDW)as an indicator of the presence of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis(NASH)and its association with fibrotic scores.METHODS:A retrospective study was carried out that included sixty-two biopsy proven NASH,32 simple steatosis patients and 30 healthy controls.The correlation between the clinical and histopathological features of NASH patients and RDW values was evaluated.Liver fibrosis scores were measured using a 0 to 4 point scale and were divided in to two groups;fibrosis scores0-1 were termed mild and fibrosis scores 2-4 were termed advanced fibrosis.RDW values were compared between NASH,simple steatosis and healthy controls.Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to evaluate the independent predicting factors for the presence of liver fibrosis caused by NASH.RESULTS:Patients with NASH had higher RDW values compared with simple steatosis and healthy control groups[14.28%±0.25%vs 13.37%±0.12%,12.96%±0.14%(P<0.01),respectively].Patients with advanced fibrosis had higher RDW values than the mild fibrosis group(15.86%±0.4%vs 13.63%±0.67%,P<0.01,respectively).RDW also correlated with fibrotic scores(r=0.579 andP<0.01).The variables that were significant in the univariate analysis were evaluated in multivariate logistic regression analysis,and RDW was an independent predicting factor of NASH(OR=1.75,95%CI:1.129-2.711,P<0.05).CONCLUSION:RDW a new non-invasive marker that can be used to demonstrate the presence of NASH and indicate advanced fibrotic scores.

Red blood cell distribution width: A marker of anisocytosis potentially associated with atrial fibrillation

The incorporation of biomarkers in the actually used risk scores seem to be helpful for early identifying atrial fibrillation(AF)patients at higher risk.The aim of this critical review of the scientific literature is to investigate the potential clinical significance of red blood cell distribution width(RDW)in AF.A systematic electronic search was carried out to identify all articles describing an epidemiological association between RDW and AF in adult human populations.Data abstraction was conducted on a final number of 35 articles(13 crosssectional,12 prospective and 10 retrospective studies).The results of these epidemiological investigations were all virtually concordant to emphasize that an enhanced RDW value is not only a predictive factor and a marker of AF but its measurement may also be helpful for predicting the risk of developing many adverse complications in patients with AF,such as recurrence and duration of AF,hospitalization for heart failure,bleeding,left atrial thrombosis and stasis,thromboembolic events and mortality.AF patients with RDW values exceeding the local reference range may be more aggressively investigated and managed,in order to identify and attenuate the impact of possible underlying disorders causing both anisocytosis and AF.

Differences in the predictive value of red cell distribution width for the mortality of patients with heart failure due to various heart diseases

Background Increased red blood cell distribution width （RDW） is associated with adverse outcomes in patients with heart failure （HF）. The objective of this study was to compare the differences in the predictive value of RDW in patients with HF due to different causes. Methods We retrospectively investigated 1,021 HF patients from October 2009 to December 2011 at Fuwai Hospital （Beijing, China）. HF in these patients was caused by three diseases; coronary heart disease （CHD）, dilated cardiomyopathy （DCM） and valvular heart disease （VHD）. Patients were followed-up for 21 ~ 9 months. Results The RDW, mortality and survival duration were significantly different among the three groups. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that the cumulative survival decreased significantly with increased RDW in patients with HF caused by CHD and DCM, but not in those with HF patients caused by VHD. In a multivariable model, RDW was identified as an independent predictor for the mortality of HF patients with CHD （P 〈 0.001, HR 1.315, 95% CI 1.122-1.543）. The group with higher N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide （NT-proBNP） and higher RDW than median had the lowest cumulative survival in patients with HF due to CHD, but not in patients with HF due to DCM. Conclusions RDW is a prognostic indicator for patients with HF caused by CHD and DCM; thus, RDW adds important information to NT-proBNP in CHD caused HF patients.

Red cell distribution width and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis

Red cell distribution width is a measure of deviation of the volume of red blood cells.It is a marker of anisocytosis and often used to evaluate the possible causes of anemia.Elevated red cell distribution width levels are also associated with acute and chronic inflammatory responses.In nonalcoholic steatohepatitis,inflammation is accompanied with steatosis.For assuming red cell distribution width as a marker of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis,intervening factors such as levels of inflammatory markers should also be evaluated.

Is increased red cell distribution width an indicating marker of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and fibrotic stage?

Red cell distribution width (RDW) may play an important role in predicting steatohepatitis and liver fibrosis. In the original study, it was aimed to determine whether RDW could be used for this purpose or not. There are studies indicating that higher RDW is correlated well with components of metabolic syndrome. Because nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is now recognized as the hepatic manifestation of metabolic syndrome, possible impact of the accompanying confounders on the study findings should have been detailed. There may be a patient selection bias due to use of improper cut-off values for alcohol consumption and inclusion of only subjects with normal aminotransferase levels and normal abdominal ultrasonography. Patients without hepatosteatosis on ultrasonography and with any restriction of aminotransferase levels should have been included in the control group, because isolated aminotransferase elevation is not decisive in the diagnosis of hepatosteatosis. Although iron, vitamin B12 and folic acid deficiencies were included in exclusion criteria, functional forms of these molecules like methylmalonic acid, homocysteine, ferritin levels and total iron binding capacity, which are more sensitive and specific parameters for vitamin B12 and folic acid deficiencies, were not mentioned. Consequently, RDW, an inexpensive, non-invasive, but powerful indicator overlooked on whole blood analysis, itself without other inflammatory markers may not accurately provide information about progression of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and fibrosis.

R/S ratio in lead Ⅱ, and the prognostic significance of red cell distribution width in acute coronary syndrome

BACKGROUND In spite of developing medical technologies to discover the etiopathogenesis of diseases and developments in the treatment of coronary artery disease, acute coronary syndromes(ACS) continue to be the main cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. New cardiac biomarkers and techniques are needed to help provide rapid diagnosis in order to evaluate risk in coronary artery patients.AIM To evaluate the effects of R to S ratio(RSR) in the electrocardiograph of patients with ACS, from the point of the arising complication after myocardial infarction(MI), to three-vessel disease(TVD) and mortality.METHODS The data of 1,296 patients with ACS, who presented to the emergency department of our hospital with chest pain between January 2014 and December2018 and were admitted to the cardiology clinic, were retrospectively included in this cross-sectional cohort study. Patients with an RSR value less than I were assigned to group Ⅰ, while those with an RSR value greater than Ⅰ were assigned to group Ⅱ.RESULTS In our study, 466(35.9%) of the 1,296 patients, 357(38.3%) in group 1 and 109(29.9%) in group 2, were female, with a mean age of 61.56 ± 9.42. ST-elevation MI 573(44.2%), unstable angina(UA) 502(38.7%) and non ST-elevation MI 220(17%)were more prevalent in group Ⅰ. Acute anterior MI 263(20.3) in group Ⅰ, and acute inferior MI 184(14.2) in group Ⅱ was higher. Ischemic heart failure was the most common complication. In group Ⅱ, the red cell distribution width(RDW) was 15.42 ± 1.82, the gensini score was 48.39 ± 36.44, the left ventricular ejection fraction was 41.17 ± 10.41, the TVD was 111(8.5), and the mortality rate was 72(5.6), which was significantly higher than group Ⅰ RDW; in MI with ST and nonST-elevation, in TVD, mortality and complications were high and low in UA. In single and multivariate regression analyses, the variables were associated with ACS risk.CONCLUSION RSR levels may be an auxiliary predictive value in ACS in terms of complications developing after MI, TVD, and mortality.

Red blood cell distribution width is worthwhile when interpreted with other inflammatory markers

To the Editor In a recent issue of Journal of Geriatric Cardiology, we read the article by LIU, et al. with interest.~lJ They aimed to investigate whether red cell distribution width （RDW） had a relationship with mortality in elderly patients after percuta- neous coronary intervention （PCI）. The authors concluded that, RDW is an independent predictor of the increased in- termediate-term all-cause mortality in elderly patients after PCI. The easy availability of testing for RDW at no addi- tional cost may encourage its broader use in clinical practice We would like to thank the authors for their comprehensive contribution.

Evaluation of Red Cell Distribution Width and Platelet Indices in Children with Chronic Heart Disease

Background: Platelets play a key role in the development and progression of cardiovascular diseases. Also red cell distribution width (RDW%) & platelet indices are a good predictor of clinical outcomes. Purpose: Study the relationship between RDW%, platelets count, mean platelet volume (MPVfl) and platelet distribution width (PDWfl) in children with congenital heart disease (CHD) or rheumatic heart diseases (RHD). Subjects and Methods: The study was carried on 151 children diagnosed as CHD or RHD selected from pediatric department of Al-Zahraa University Hospital and National Heart Institute. They were aged from 6 months to 12 years. Another 80 apparently healthy children were taken as controls. Complete blood count and echocardiography examination were evaluated for all participants. Results: The mean value of RDW% was increased in CHD and RHD than controls, RDW% higher in cyanotic CHD (CCHD) (either decompensated or compensated) than acyanotic CHD, and in decompensated RHD than compensated RHD with more than one valve affection. The mean platelets count were decreased in cyanotic than acyanotic CHD, platelets count were increased in decompensated than compensated RHD either with one valve or more than one valve affection. The mean values of MPV and PDW were increased in decompensated CHD, but it decreased in decompensated RHD. Conclusion: The RDW%, MPV and PDW considered as simple markers in the follow up of patients with CHD or RHD for early detection of serious complication.

Red blood cell distribution width in heart failure: A narrative review

The red blood cell distribution width(RDW) is a simple, rapid, inexpensive and straightforward hematological parameter, reflecting the degree of anisocytosis in vivo. The currently available scientific evidence suggests that RDW assessment not only predicts the risk of adverse outcomes(cardiovascular and all-cause mortality, hospitalization for acute decompensation or worsened left ventricular function) in patients with acute and chronic heart failure(HF), but is also a significant and independent predictor of developing HF in patients free of this condition. Regarding the biological interplay between impaired hematopoiesis and cardiac dysfunction, many of the different conditions associated with increased heterogeneity of erythrocyte volume(i.e., ageing, inflammation, oxidative stress, nutritional deficiencies and impaired renal function), may be concomitantly present in patients with HF, whilst anisocytosis may also directly contribute to the development and worsening of HF. In conclusion, the longitudinal assessment of RDW changes over time may be considered an efficient measure to help predicting the risk of both development and progression of HF.

Prognostic value of red blood cell distribution width for severe acute pancreatitis

BACKGROUND Severe acute pancreatitis(SAP)is a common condition in the intensive care unit(ICU)and has a high mortality.Early evaluation of the severity and prognosis is very important for SAP therapy.Recently,red blood cell distribution(RDW)was associated with mortality of sepsis patients and could be used as a predictor of prognosis.Similarly,RDW may be associated with the prognosis of SAP patients and be used as a prognostic indicator for SAP patients.AIM To investigate the prognostic value of RDW for SAP patients.METHODS We retrospectively enrolled SAP patients admitted to the ICU of the First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University from June 2015 to June 2017.According to the prognosis at 90 d,SAP patients were divided into a survival group and a non-survival group.RDW was extracted from a routine blood test.Demographic parameters and RDW were recorded and compared between the two groups.The receiver operator characteristic(ROC)curve was constructed and Cox regression analysis was performed to investigate the prognostic value of RDW for SAP patients.RESULTS In this retrospective cohort study,42 SAP patients were enrolled,of whom 22 survived(survival group)and 20 died(non-survival group).The baseline parameters were comparable between the two groups.The coefficient of variation of RDW(RDW-CV),standard deviation of RDW(RDW-SD),Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II(APACHE II)score,and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment(SOFA)score were significantly higher in the non-survival group than in the survival group(P<0.05).The RDW-CV and RDW-SD were significantly correlated with the APACHE II score and SOFA score,respectively.The areas under the ROC curves(AUCs)of RDW-CV and RDW-SD were all greater than those of the APACHE II score and SOFA score,among which,the AUC of RDW-SD was the greatest.The results demonstrated that RDW had better prognostic value for predicting the mortality of SAP patients.When the RDW-SD was greater than 45.5,the sensitivity for predicting prognosis was 77.8%and the specificity was 70.8%.Both RDW-CV and RDW-SD could be used as independent risk factors to predict the mortality of SAP patients in multivariate logistic regression analysis and univariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis,similar to the APACHE II and SOFA scores.CONCLUSION The RDW is greater in the non-surviving SAP patients than in the surviving patients.RDW is significantly correlated with the APACHE II and SOFA scores.RDW has better prognostic value for SAP patients than the APACHE II and SOFA scores and could easily be used by clinicians for the treatment of SAP patients.

Prognostic impact of the red cell distribution width in esophageal cancer patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis

AIM To clarify the previous discrepant conclusions, we performed a meta-analysis to evaluate the prognostic value of red cell distribution width(RDW) in esophageal cancer(EC). METHODS We searched the PubM ed, EMBASE, Web of Science and Cochrane Library databases to identify clinical studies, followed by using STATA version 12.0 for statistical analysis. Studies that met the following criteria were considered eligible:(1) Studies including EC patients who underwent radical esophagectomy;(2) studies including patients with localized disease without distant metastasis;(3) studies including patients without preoperative neoadjuvant therapy;(4) studies including patients without previous antiinflammatory therapies and with available preoperative laboratory outcomes;(5) studies reporting association between the preoperative RDW and overall survival(OS)/disease-free survival(DFS)/cancer-specific survival(CSS); and(6) studies published in English.RESULTS A total of six articles, published between 2015 and 2017, fulfilled the selection criteria in the end. Statistical analysis showed that RDW was not associated with the prognosis of EC patients, irrespective of OS/CSS [hazard ratio(HR) = 1.27, 95% confidence interval(CI): 0.97-1.57, P = 0.000] or DFS(HR = 1.42, 95%CI: 0.96-1.88, P = 0.000). Subgroup analysis indicated that elevated RDW was significantly associated with worse OS/CSS of EC patients when RDW > 13%(HR = 1.45, 95%CI: 1.13-1.76, P = 0.000), when the patient number ≤ 400(HR = 1.45, 95%CI: 1.13-1.76, P = 0.000) and when the study type was retrospective(HR = 1.42, 95%CI : 1.16-1.69, P = 0.000).CONCLUSION Contrary to our general understanding, this meta-analysis revealed that RDW cannot serve as an indicator of poor prognosis in patients with EC. However, it may still be a useful predictor of unfavorable prognosis using an appropriate cut-off value.