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Red cell distribution width positively correlates with 10-year risk of cardiovascular disease among people with type
Naskret Dariusz1, Pilacinski Stanislaw2, Niedzwiecki Pawel2
1Department of Internal Medicine and Diabetology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Mickiewicza 2, Poznań, 60-834, Poland. dnaskret@ump.edu.pl.
Insights
Red Cell Distribution Width (RDW) is linked to higher cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in type 1 diabetes (T1D) patients. This finding suggests RDW may aid in CVD risk stratification for T1D individuals.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Cardiology
- Hematology
Background:
- Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major complication in type 1 diabetes (T1D).
- Predictive models for CVD risk are crucial for managing T1D patients.
- Red Cell Distribution Width (RDW) is a measure of red blood cell size variation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between Red Cell Distribution Width (RDW) and predicted 10-year cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk.
- To assess RDW as a potential biomarker for CVD risk stratification in individuals with type 1 diabetes (T1D).
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 342 adults with T1D (duration > 5 years).
- Participants stratified into tertiles based on RDW levels.
- Cardiovascular disease risk estimated using the Steno Type 1 Risk Engine (ST1RE).
Main Results:
- Higher RDW levels were associated with older age and longer diabetes duration.
- Predicted 10-year CVD risk (ST1RE 10Y) significantly increased with higher RDW tertiles (p < 0.01).
- RDW was independently associated with moderate/high ST1RE 10Y risk (OR = 1.87; p = 0.001), adjusted for multiple risk factors.
Conclusions:
- RDW is independently associated with predicted 10-year CVD risk in individuals with T1D.
- RDW may serve as a valuable marker for cardiovascular risk stratification in T1D.
- Further external validation is recommended for clinical application of RDW in T1D CVD risk assessment.
Introduction:
We evaluated the association between Red Cell Distribution Width (RDW) and predicted 10-year cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, as estimated by the Steno Type 1 Risk Engine (ST1RE), in individuals with type 1 diabetes (T1D).
Methods:
We conducted a retrospective analysis of 342 adults with T1D duration > 5 years, (163 women, 179 men) from a tertiary Diabetes Center electronic database. Participants were stratified into tertiles of RDW: Group 1 (G1: < 12.6), Group 2 (G2: 12.6-13.2), and Group 3 (G3: >13.2).
Results:
Higher RDW was associated with older age and longer diabetes duration. The prevalence of microvascular complications did not differ across RDW tertiles. Predicted 10-year CVD risk (ST1RE 10Y) increased with higher RDW: median (IQR) 4.5 (3.2-6.1) in G1, 4.5 (2.9-7.2) in G2, and 6.2 (3.5-12.0) in G3 (p < 0.01). In multiple linear regression, RDW was positively associated with ST1RE 10Y, (β = 1.13;95% CI, 0.57-1.70; p < 0.01; R2 = 0.36). In multivariable logistic regression, RDW was independently associated with moderate/high versus low ST1RE 10Y risk (OR = 1.87;95%CI, 1.28-2.75; p = 0.001). Models were adjusted for presence of hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetic kidney disease, BMI value and hsCRP concentration.
Conclusion:
Our results suggest that RDW is independently associated with predicted 10-year CVD risk in individuals with T1D. These findings support RDW as a potential marker for cardiovascular risk stratification. However, external validation is required before clinical application.
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