Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 19, 2026
Measuring Deformability and Red Cell Heterogeneity in Blood by Ektacytometry
Published on: January 12, 2018
Red blood cell distribution width as a useful marker for severity in pediatric acute gastroenteritis
Muhammet Furkan Korkmaz1, Murat Tutanç1, Muharrem Bostancı1
1Department of Pediatrics, Yüksek İhtisas Education and Research Hospital, University of Health Sciences, Bursa, Turkey.
Insights
Red cell distribution width (RDW) can help assess acute gastroenteritis (AGE) severity in children. Higher RDW levels correlate with more severe cases, aiding clinical evaluation.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Infectious Diseases
- Hematology
Background:
- Acute gastroenteritis (AGE) is a major cause of childhood mortality and morbidity in developing nations.
- Accurate assessment of AGE severity is crucial for effective clinical management.
- Red cell distribution width (RDW) shows potential as a biomarker for evaluating AGE in pediatric patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the utility of Red cell distribution width (RDW) in assessing the severity of acute gastroenteritis (AGE) in children.
- To determine if RDW levels correlate with the severity of AGE as determined by the Modified Vesikari Score (MVS).
Main Methods:
- A prospective observational study included 97 children diagnosed with AGE.
- Data collected included complete blood count, serum C-reactive protein, and stool examinations.
- Disease severity was quantified using the Modified Vesikari Score (MVS).
Main Results:
- RDW levels were found to differ significantly across mild, moderate, and high AGE severity groups.
- Receiver operating characteristic analysis indicated RDW had the highest area under the curve for distinguishing high-severity cases.
- No significant differences in outcomes were observed between rotavirus-positive and rotavirus-negative children.
Conclusions:
- Red cell distribution width (RDW) increases proportionally with the severity of acute gastroenteritis (AGE) in children.
- RDW serves as a valuable biomarker for additional severity stratification in pediatric AGE cases.
Background:
Acute gastroenteritis (AGE) in children is still one of the most important causes of mortality and morbidity in developing countries. Therefore, it is very important for clinicians to detect the presence and severity of acute gastroenteritis. Red cell distribution width (RDW) is thought to have the potential for AGE evaluation in children. We sought to investigate the value of RDW for severity assessment in children with AGE.
Methods:
A total of 97 AGE patients were included in a prospective observational study. Complete blood count, serum C-reactive protein, and stool examinations were carried out. Modified Vesikari score (MVS) was evaluated to determine severity.
Results:
Median age was 19 months (min-max, 1-198 months). The male/female ratio was 1.55 (59/38). Rotavirus was detected in 31 of 97 children (32%). median MVS was 9 points (min-max, 5-24 points). A total of 32 (33%), 43 (44%) and 22 patients (23%) were classified in the mild-, moderate-, and high-severity groups, respectively. There were no significant differences between rotavirus-positive and rotavirus-negative children. Hemoglobin, mean corpuscular volume, and RDW differed significantly according to severity. RDW had the highest area under the curve when the high-severity group was compared with the combination of low- and moderate-severity groups on receiver operating characteristic analysis.
Conclusions:
Red cell distribution width increased with the increase in severity of AGE. RDW may offer additional severity stratification in children with AGE.
Related Concept Videos
09:12Measuring Deformability and Red Cell Heterogeneity in Blood by Ektacytometry
11:31Antigens Protected Functional Red Blood Cells By The Membrane Grafting Of Compact Hyperbranched Polyglycerols
06:35Sodium Taurocholate Induced Severe Acute Pancreatitis in C57BL/6 Mice
11:27Prediction of Red Blood Cell Antibody Significance Using the Monocyte-Macrophage Assay
01:17Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Distribution
06:05Enema of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Patients with Severe Acute Pancreatitis