Association between red blood cell distribution width and white matter hyperintensities: A large-scale...

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Hematology
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Red blood cell distribution width (RDW) is a known prognostic marker in various conditions, including ischemic strokes.
• The specific relationship between elevated RDW and different subtypes of white matter hyperintensities (WMHs) requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between red blood cell distribution width (RDW) and the presence and subtypes of white matter hyperintensities (WMHs).

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of a hospital database (April 2015-February 2017) including 555 subjects with WMHs and 642 controls.
• White matter hyperintensities (WMHs) and their subtypes were assessed using the Fazekas score on T2WI-FLAIR brain MRI.
• Logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the association between RDW and WMH subtypes, with an optimal RDW cutoff of 13.25%.

Main Results:

• Higher RDW (≥13.25%) showed a significant positive association with periventricular WMHs (adjusted OR = 1.81, p = .009).
• No significant association was found between higher RDW and total WMHs (adjusted OR = 1.52, p = .057) or deep WMHs (adjusted OR = 1.21, p = .426).

Conclusions:

• Elevated red blood cell distribution width (RDW) may be an independent risk factor specifically for periventricular white matter hyperintensities (WMHs).
• The study did not find a significant association between higher RDW and overall WMHs or deep WMHs.