A routine but overlooked parameter for impaired glucose control: red cell distribution width.

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Hematology
• Cardiovascular Disease Research

Background:

• Red cell distribution width (RDW) is an indicator of erythrocyte size variation, increasingly linked to inflammation and cardiovascular disease risk.
• Hyperglycemia, characteristic of prediabetes (PDM) and diabetes mellitus (DM), promotes endothelial dysfunction and a pro-inflammatory state.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between RDW and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) in individuals with prediabetes and overt diabetes mellitus.
• To explore the potential role of subclinical inflammation in elevated RDW levels in these patient groups.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 155 patients was classified into three groups: Type 2 DM (n=45), PDM (n=60), and a control group (n=50).
• RDW and hs-CRP levels were measured in all participants.

Main Results:

• The PDM group exhibited significantly higher RDW and hs-CRP levels compared to the control group (p < 0.001 for both).
• The Type 2 DM group also showed significantly higher RDW and hs-CRP levels compared to the PDM group (p = 0.002 for RDW; p = 0.03 for hs-CRP).

Conclusions:

• Prediabetes and diabetes mellitus are associated with elevated RDW levels.
• The observed increase in RDW in prediabetes and diabetes may reflect an underlying subclinical inflammatory process.