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Updated: Apr 12, 2026

A Magnetic Resonance Imaging-based Computational Protocol for Analysis of Plaque Morphology and Hemodynamics in Patients with Carotid Artery Stenosis
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A Magnetic Resonance Imaging-based Computational Protocol for Analysis of Plaque Morphology and Hemodynamics in Patients with Carotid Artery Stenosis

Published on: August 12, 2025

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Red cell distribution width in relation to incidence of stroke and carotid atherosclerosis: a population-based cohort

Martin Söderholm1, Yan Borné1, Bo Hedblad1

  • 1Cardiovascular Epidemiology Research Group, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden.

Plos One
|May 8, 2015
PubMed

Insights

High red cell distribution width (RDW) is linked to a greater risk of total stroke and cerebral infarction in the general population. This finding highlights RDW as a potential indicator for stroke risk assessment.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular epidemiology
  • Hematology
  • Neurology

Background:

  • Elevated red cell distribution width (RDW) is associated with poor prognosis in cardiovascular disease patients.
  • RDW predicts cardiovascular mortality in the general population.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between RDW and the incidence of total stroke and its subtypes.
  • To determine if RDW is an independent predictor of stroke in the general population.

Main Methods:

  • A population-based study of 26,879 participants (aged 45-73) from the Malmö Diet and Cancer Study.
  • Follow-up of 15.2 years to calculate stroke incidence in relation to sex-specific RDW quartiles.
  • Assessment of carotid plaque and intima-media thickness in a subcohort (n = 5,309).

Main Results:

  • Increased incidence of total stroke (HR 1.31) and cerebral infarction (HR 1.32) in the highest RDW quartile.
  • No significant association found between RDW and intracerebral or subarachnoid hemorrhage.
  • Positive association between RDW and intima-media thickness of the common carotid artery (p=0.011).

Conclusions:

  • The highest quartile of RDW is associated with an increased risk of total stroke and cerebral infarction.
  • RDW may serve as a valuable biomarker for predicting ischemic stroke risk.
Abstract

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