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Red blood cell distribution width and cardiovascular diseases
Elisa Danese1, Giuseppe Lippi1, Martina Montagnana1
1Clinical Biochemistry Section, Department of Neurological, Biomedical and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy.
Journal of Thoracic Disease
|December 2, 2015
Summary
Red blood cell distribution width (RDW) indicates size variation. Increased RDW is linked to cardiovascular diseases like heart failure and stroke, predicting adverse outcomes in patients.
Area of Science:
- Hematology
- Cardiology
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Red blood cell distribution width (RDW) measures erythrocyte size heterogeneity (anisocytosis).
- Emerging evidence links anisocytosis to various human disorders beyond red blood cell abnormalities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the scientific literature on the role of RDW in cardiovascular diseases.
- To explore the epidemiologic association between RDW and cardiovascular conditions.
Main Methods:
- Narrative review of scientific literature.
- Analysis of epidemiological studies on RDW and cardiovascular diseases.
Main Results:
- Increased RDW is associated with acute coronary syndrome (ACS), ischemic cerebrovascular disease, peripheral artery disease (PAD), atrial fibrillation (AF), heart failure (HF), and hypertension.
- Higher anisocytosis independently predicts adverse outcomes in patients with these cardiovascular conditions.
Conclusions:
- The role of anisocytosis in cardiovascular disease pathogenesis is uncertain.
- RDW may be clinically useful for diagnosing and prognosing ACS, ischemic cerebrovascular disease, PAD, HF, and AF.
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