Red cell distribution width in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome

Area of Science:

• Hematology
• Sleep Medicine
• Cardiology

Background:

• Red cell distribution width (RDW) is linked to adverse outcomes in heart failure, pulmonary hypertension, and ICU patients.
• The role of RDW in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS), especially with co-existing cardiovascular diseases, remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between RDW and OSAS.
• To determine if RDW is linked to cardiovascular disease in OSAS patients.

Main Methods:

• 137 patients underwent polysomnography (PSG) to diagnose OSAS.
• Patients were categorized into control or OSAS groups based on the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI).
• RDW, hemoglobin, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were measured.

Main Results:

• RDW values were significantly higher in the OSAS group compared to controls (13.6% vs. 12.9%, p=0.003).
• RDW was also higher in patients with cardiovascular diseases (13.7% vs. 13.2%, p=0.001).
• RDW ≥ 13.6% was independently associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease in OSAS patients (OR=1.5, p=0.014).
• RDW correlated significantly with AHI, age, mean SaO2, systolic pulmonary artery pressure, and CRP levels.

Conclusions:

• RDW is a readily available, cost-effective diagnostic marker.
• RDW is independently associated with cardiovascular disease in patients with OSAS.