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Association Between Red Cell Distribution Width and Glycated Hemoglobin in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Case-Control
Sarah Afzal1,2, Alen Thomas3,2, Sravanthi Devulapalli4
1Medicine, Subharti Medical College, Meerut, IND.
Cureus
|May 14, 2026
Summary
Red cell distribution width (RDW) shows a modest association with glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients. RDW may offer a cost-effective, supplementary marker for monitoring glycemic control in resource-limited settings.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Hematology
- Clinical Pathology
Background:
- Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) presents a significant global health challenge, especially in low- and middle-income countries.
- Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) is the standard for assessing long-term glycemic control.
- Red cell distribution width (RDW) is gaining attention for its potential role in diabetes complications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between RDW and HbA1c levels in T2DM patients.
- To determine if RDW can function as an additional marker for glycemic status.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study involving 150 T2DM patients and 50 controls.
- Hematological and biochemical measurements were performed on blood samples.
- Statistical analyses included Student's t-test and Pearson's correlation; p < 0.05 was considered significant.
Main Results:
- Diabetic patients had higher HbA1c than controls (p < 0.001), but RDW levels were comparable between groups (p = 0.808).
- A weak positive correlation (r = 0.126, p = 0.024) was found between HbA1c and RDW in T2DM patients.
- No significant association between RDW and HbA1c was observed in the control group.
Conclusions:
- A modest, significant association exists between RDW and HbA1c in T2DM.
- RDW's cost-effectiveness suggests its potential as an adjunct marker for diabetes monitoring, especially in resource-limited settings.
- Further large-scale studies are needed to confirm RDW's clinical utility.
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