Clinical usefulness of red cell distribution width to angiographic severity and coronary stent thrombosis

Red cell distribution width (RDW) is a quantitative measurement and shows heterogeneity of red blood cell size in peripheral blood. RDW has recently been associated with cardiovascular events and cardiovascular diseases, and it is a novel predictor of mortality. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the clinical usefulness of measuring RDW in patients with coronary stent thrombosis.

We retrospectively reviewed 3,925 consecutive patients who presented with acute coronary syndrome and who underwent coronary angiography at the Siyami Ersek Hospital between May 2011 and December 2013. Of the 3,925 patients, 73 patients (55 males, mean age 59±11 years, 55 with ST elevated myocardial infarction) with stent thrombosis formed group 1. Another 54 consecutive patients who presented with acute coronary syndrome (without coronary stent thrombosis, 22 patients with ST elevated myocardial infarction, 44 males, mean age 54±2 years) and underwent percutaneous coronary intervention in May 2011 formed group 2. Data were collected from all groups for 2 years. The RDW values were calculated from patients 1 month later at follow-up. Syntax scores were calculated for all the patients. The patients were also divided as low syntax score group and moderate-high syntax score group.

The patients in group 1 with stent thrombosis had significantly higher RDW level (13.85) than the patients in group 2 without stent thrombosis (12) (P<0.001). In addition, in all study patients, the moderate-high syntax score group had significantly higher RDW level (13.6) than the low syntax score group (12.9) (P=0.009). A positive correlation was determined between RDW and syntax scores (r=0.204).

RDW is a new marker of poor prognosis in coronary artery disease. Increased RDW level is correlated with angiographic severity of coronary artery disease, and RDW may be an important clinical marker of coronary stent thrombosis in patients undergoing coronary intervention.