Red cell distribution width and mortality in carotid atherosclerosis

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Medicine
• Hematology
• Clinical Research

Background:

• Red cell distribution width (RDW) is a known indicator of morbidity and mortality in chronic cardiac conditions.
• The prognostic value of RDW in carotid atherosclerosis remains to be fully elucidated.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the association between RDW and adverse outcomes, specifically all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, in patients with asymptomatic carotid atherosclerosis.

Main Methods:

• A prospective study involving 1065 patients with asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis, diagnosed via duplex Doppler sonography.
• Follow-up duration was a median of 6.2 years, with endpoints including all-cause and cardiovascular mortality.

Main Results:

• A total of 275 deaths (25.8%) occurred, with 182 (66.2%) attributed to cardiovascular causes.
• RDW demonstrated a significant association with adverse outcomes. Each 1% increase in RDW correlated with a 39% increased risk of all-cause mortality and a 43% increased risk of cardiovascular mortality.
• Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed a dose-response relationship between increasing RDW quartiles and mortality risk.

Conclusions:

• RDW is a significant and independent predictor of both all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in individuals with asymptomatic carotid atherosclerosis.
• These findings highlight RDW's potential role as a prognostic biomarker in managing patients with carotid artery disease.