High Red Cell Distribution Width is an Adverse Predictive and Prognostic Factor in Patients With Diffuse Large B-Cell...

The red blood cell distribution width (RDW) is an easy-to-obtain laboratory value that has emerged as a potential prognostic factor in solid and hematologic malignancies.

We evaluated 121 patients with de novo diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) treated with standard chemoimmunotherapy at our institution between 2010 and 2012. We categorized patients with high RDW (> 14.6%) and normal RDW (11.6%-14.6%). We fitted multivariate regression models for complete response (CR) and overall survival (OS).

Patients with high RDW were less likely to achieve CR to chemoimmunotherapy than patients with normal RDW (48% vs. 83%; P < .001). The 5-year OS rate for patients with high RDW was lower than in patients with normal RDW (51% vs. 79%; P = .001). In multivariate regression models, high RDW was independently associated with lower odds of achieving CR (odds ratio, 0.32; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.12-0.83; P = .02) and with higher risk of death from any cause (hazard ratio [HR], 2.04; 95% CI, 1.03-4.02; P = .04) than normal RDW in patients with DLBCL treated with chemoimmunotherapy. High RDW remained an independent adverse factor for OS after adjustment for the International Prognostic Index and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network-International Prognostic Index scores with HR 2.20 (95% CI, 1.12-4.31; P = .02) and HR 2.67 (95% CI 1.28-5.59; P = .009), respectively.

High RDW appears to be an adverse predictive and prognostic factor in patients with de novo DLBCL treated with R-CHOP (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone).