Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 8, 2026
Evaluation of Right Ventricular Function in Experimental Models of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension
Published on: June 27, 2025
Red cell distribution width and related indices in relation to target-organ damage in children with hypertension
Arife Uslu Gökceoğlu1, Nesrin Taş2, Nuriye Boduç Bolu3
1Department of Pediatric Nephrology, Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat University, Faculty of Medicine, Antalya, Türkiye. arifeuslu2001@yahoo.com.
Insights
Red cell distribution width (RDW) and RDW-to-platelet count ratio (RPR) may indicate target organ damage, specifically left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), in children with primary hypertension. Male gender is a risk factor for LVH in this population.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Cardiology
- Hematology
- Hypertension Research
Background:
- Primary hypertension in children is a growing concern.
- Target organ damage is a significant complication of pediatric hypertension.
- Understanding early markers of damage is crucial for timely intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between red cell distribution width (RDW) and related indices with target organ damage in children with primary hypertension.
- To explore the clinical implications of RDW and novel derived indices (RPR, RAR) as potential biomarkers.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective cross-sectional study analyzed data from 219 hypertensive children and 57 controls.
- Collected data included demographics, BMI, hemoglobin, RDW, leukocyte count, platelet count, and albumin.
- Target organ damage was assessed via echocardiography, retinal examination, and urinalysis; RPR and RAR were calculated.
Main Results:
- Elevated RDW and RPR were significantly associated with left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) in hypertensive children.
- Male gender was a significant risk factor for LVH.
- Obese children showed higher leukocyte counts, but RDW and RAR did not correlate with BMI; RPR was higher in normal BMI patients.
Conclusions:
- RDW and RPR show potential as biomarkers for detecting target organ damage (LVH) in pediatric hypertension.
- RAR demonstrated limited utility in this context.
- Hematological parameters offer insights into cardiovascular risk and obesity-related inflammation in children.
Background:
The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between target organ damage in children with primary hypertension and red cell distribution width (RDW) and related indices to elucidate their potential clinical implications.
Method:
A cross-sectional retrospective study was conducted on data collected from patients with primary hypertension. Demographic variables, body mass index (BMI), hemoglobin, RDW, leukocyte count, platelet count and albumin results were recorded. RPR was defined as the ratio of RDW to platelet count and RAR was defined as the ratio of RDW to albumin. A comprehensive evaluation was conducted on all patients to ascertain the presence of target organ damage. This evaluation included echocardiography, retinal examination, and urine analysis.
Results:
The study included 219 hypertensive children and 57 healthy controls. The majority of patients were male (61.6%) and had elevated BMI (69.4%). Overall, 45.7% had left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), 5.5% had hypertensive retinopathy and 4.5% had proteinuria. The mean RDW level in patient group was higher than that of controls (13.1 ± 0.9% and 12.8 ± 0.7%, p < 0.05). The mean RDW level and RPR in children with LVH were higher than that of children without LVH (respectively, 13.3 ± 1% and 13 ± 0.7, p < 0.05 and 0.048 ± 0.012 and 0.044 ± 0.010, p < 0.01). An elevated white blood cell count was observed in children with a high BMI. However, the mean RDW and RAR values remained comparable. The RPR value was found to be higher in the patients with normal BMI. The male gender was identified as a significant risk factor for LVH.
Conclusion:
Elevated RDW and RPR levels were associated with LVH in hypertensive children, suggesting their potential role as markers of target organ damage, whereas RAR showed limited utility. Male gender emerged as an independent risk factor for LVH. Obese children demonstrated higher leukocyte counts, indicating a link between obesity and systemic inflammation. However, RDW and RAR did not vary with BMI, and unexpectedly, RPR was higher in children with normal BMI. These findings suggest that hematological parameters may provide insights into both cardiovascular risk and obesity-related changes in pediatric populations.
Related Concept Videos
01:30Hypertension III: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnostic Studies
01:24Blood Pressure Imbalances and Circulatory Shock
Blood Pressure: Hypertension and Hypotension
Normal blood pressure is 120/80 mm Hg. Elevated blood pressure is 120-129/under 80 mm Hg. Hypertension, warranting treatment at 130/80 mm Hg, is often asymptomatic and can lead to severe cardiovascular events, aneurysms, peripheral arterial disease, chronic renal disease, or cardiac...
01:27Disorders of Erythrocytes
Erythrocyte disorders can be broadly categorized into two main types: anemic and polycythemic conditions.
A low oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood due to the loss, lower production, or destruction of erythrocytes is termed anemia. Hemorrhagic anemia, for example, occurs when bleeding from an external wound or internal ulcer reduces erythrocyte counts.
On the other...
01:21Peripheral Arterial Disease II: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnostic Evaluation
01:28Hypertension I: Introduction