Red blood cell distribution width and mortality of spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage patients

Two studies have found an association between hematoma expansion and red blood cell distribution width (RDW) in the diagnosis of spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (SIH); however, its association with SIH mortality has been not reported. Thus, the objectives of this study were to determine whether RDW in patients with SIH could be associated with mortality and could be used as mortality biomarker.

Observational and prospective study of patients with severe supratentorial SIH (Glasgow Coma Scale < 9) from Intensive Care Units of 6 Spanish hospitals. RDW was recorded at days 1, 4 and 8 of SIH. Thirty-day mortality was considered the end-point study.

Non-surviving patients (n = 54) compared to surviving patients (n = 63) had higher RDW (p ≤ 0.001) at days 1, 4 and 8 of SIH. The area under curve (95 % confidence interval) to predict 30-day mortality by RDW at days 1, 4, and 8 of SIH was 0.87 (0.79-0.92; p < 0.001), 0.74 (0.64-0.83; p < 0.001) and 0.79 (0.68-0.87; p < 0.001) respectively. In the regression analysis an association between RDW and 30-day mortality was found controlling for early evacuation of SIH, midline shift, ICH score and glycemia (Odds ratio = 1.159; 95 % CI = 1.046-1.284; p = 0.005).

The higher RDW during the first week of SIH in non-surviving than in surviving patients, and the potential role of RDW at any time during the first week as mortality biomarker are the main novelties of our study.