Relationship between red cell distribution width and echocardiographic parameters in patients with diastolic heart failure

Assessing red blood cell distribution width in Vietnamese heart failure patients: A cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Heart failure (HF) is becoming a growing public health concern. Diagnostic tests for determining the severity of HF often come with high costs and require specialized expertise, which makes it difficult to assess HF severity, especially in low-income countries or at primary healthcare facilities. Recently, red blood cell distribution width (RDW) has emerged as a promising, easily accessible marker associated with HF severity. The study aimed to assess changes in RDW levels in HF patients and the diagnostic value of RDW in detecting acute heart failure (AHF) among HF patients.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional examination involving 351 participants divided into HF and non-HF cohorts. HF was defined and categorized according to the diagnostic and treatment guidelines for AHF and chronic heart failure (CHF) set forth by the European Society of Cardiology (2021). Univariate and multivariate analysis of factors associated with AHF was performed.

RESULTS

The study revealed that HF patients displayed higher median RDW levels (14.90% [13.70-17.00]) compared to non-HF individuals (13.00% [12.23-13.78]). RDW was notably elevated in HF patients with left ventricular ejection fraction < 50% compared to those with left ventricular ejection fraction ≥ 50%. ROC curve analysis of RDW for AHF detection identified a cutoff value of 13.85%, with a sensitivity of 86.05% and specificity of 47.18%, statistically significant at p < 0.001. RDW > 13.85% was identified as an independent risk factor for AHF in patients with HF, with odds ratios of 2.644 (95% CI, 1.190-5.875; p = 0.017).

CONCLUSION

The study revealed significant RDW variations in patients with CHF and AHF compared to the control group. These findings suggest that RDW could be a biomarker for detecting HF severity.

Evaluation of the diagnostic accuracy of current biomarkers in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

A number of circulating biomarkers are currently utilized for the diagnosis of chronic heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). However, due to HFpEF heterogeneity, the accuracy of these biomarkers remains unclear.

AIMS

This study aimed to systematically determine the diagnostic accuracy of currently available biomarkers for chronic HFpEF.

METHODS

PubMed, Web of Science, MEDLINE and SCOPUS databases were searched systematically to identify studies assessing the diagnostic accuracy of biomarkers of chronic HFpEF with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≥50%. All included studies were independently assessed for quality and relevant information was extracted. Random-effects models were used to estimate the pooled diagnostic accuracy of HFpEF biomarkers.

RESULTS

The search identified 6145 studies, of which 19 were included. Four biomarkers were available for meta-analysis. The pooled sensitivity of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) (0.787, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.719-0.842) was higher than that of N-terminal pro-BNP (NT-proBNP) (0.696, 95% CI 0.599-0.779) in chronic HFpEF diagnosis. However, NT-proBNP showed improved specificity (0.882, 95% CI 0.778-0.941) compared to BNP (\0.796, 95% CI 0.672-0.882). Galectin-3 (Gal-3) exhibited a reliable diagnostic adequacy for HFpEF (sensitivity 0.760, 95% CI 0.631-0.855; specificity 0.803, 95% CI 0.667-0.893). However, suppression of tumorigenesis-2 (ST2) displayed limited diagnostic performance for chronic HFpEF diagnosis (sensitivity 0.636, 95% CI 0.465-0.779; specificity 0.595, 95% CI 0.427-0.743).

CONCLUSION

NT-proBNP and BNP appear to be the most reliable biomarkers in chronic HFpEF with NT-proBNP showing higher specificity and BNP showing higher sensitivity. Although Gal-3 appears more reliable than ST2 in HFpEF diagnosis, the conclusions are limited as only three studies were included in this meta-analysis.

Natriuretic peptides for the detection of diastolic dysfunction and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction-a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

An overview of the diagnostic performance of natriuretic peptides (NPs) for the detection of diastolic dysfunction (DD) and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), in a non-acute setting, is currently lacking.

METHODS

We performed a systematic literature search in PubMed and Embase.com (May 13, 2019). Studies were included when they (1) reported diagnostic performance measures, (2) are for the detection of DD or HFpEF in a non-acute setting, (3) are compared with a control group without DD or HFpEF or with patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, (4) are in a cross-sectional design. Two investigators independently assessed risk of bias of the included studies according to the QUADAS-2 checklist. Results were meta-analysed when three or more studies reported a similar diagnostic measure.

RESULTS

From 11,728 titles/abstracts, we included 51 studies. The meta-analysis indicated a reasonable diagnostic performance for both NPs for the detection of DD and HFpEF based on AUC values of approximately 0.80 (0.73-0.87; I² = 86%). For both NPs, sensitivity was lower than specificity for the detection of DD and HFpEF: approximately 65% (51-85%; I² = 95%) versus 80% (70-90%; I² = 97%), respectively. Both NPs have adequate ability to rule out DD: negative predictive value of approximately 85% (78-93%; I² = 95%). The ability of both NPs to prove DD is lower: positive predictive value of approximately 60% (30-90%; I² = 99%).

CONCLUSION

The diagnostic performance of NPs for the detection of DD and HFpEF is reasonable. However, they may be used to rule out DD or HFpEF, and not for the diagnosis of DD or HFpEF.

Risk of bias in studies investigating novel diagnostic biomarkers for heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. A systematic review

Aim

Diagnosing heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) in the non‐acute setting remains challenging. Natriuretic peptides have limited value for this purpose, and a multitude of studies investigating novel diagnostic circulating biomarkers have not resulted in their implementation. This review aims to provide an overview of studies investigating novel circulating biomarkers for the diagnosis of HFpEF and determine their risk of bias (ROB).

Methods and results

A systematic literature search for studies investigating novel diagnostic HFpEF circulating biomarkers in humans was performed up until 21 April 2020. Those without diagnostic performance measures reported, or performed in an acute heart failure population were excluded, leading to a total of 28 studies. For each study, four reviewers determined the ROB within the QUADAS‐2 domains: patient selection, index test, reference standard, and flow and timing. At least one domain with a high ROB was present in all studies. Use of case‐control/two‐gated designs, exclusion of difficult‐to‐diagnose patients, absence of a pre‐specified cut‐off value for the index test without the performance of external validation, the use of inappropriate reference standards and unclear timing of the index test and/or reference standard were the main bias determinants. Due to the high ROB and different patient populations, no meta‐analysis was performed.

Conclusion

The majority of current diagnostic HFpEF biomarker studies have a high ROB, reducing the reproducibility and the potential for clinical care. Methodological well‐designed studies with a uniform reference diagnosis are urgently needed to determine the incremental value of circulating biomarkers for the diagnosis of HFpEF.

High red cell distribution width at the time of ST segment elevation myocardial infarction is better at predicting diastolic than systolic left ventricular dysfunction: A single-center prospective cohort study

Multiple studies have demonstrated the association of red cell distribution width (RDW) with the ultrasound parameters of both systolic and diastolic heart dysfunction. We aimed to further investigate the clinical associations of RDW in the setting of ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and to comparatively evaluate its predictive properties regarding systolic and diastolic dysfunction.A total of 89 patients with STEMI were prospectively analyzed. RDW was obtained at the time of STEMI and compared to the parameters of systolic and diastolic dysfunction obtained by transthoracic heart ultrasound on the 5th through 7th day post-STEMI.The median RDW was 13.9%, and among other factors, RDW was significantly associated with older age (P < .001), arterial hypertension (P = .017), hyperlipoproteinemia 2, nonsmoking (P = .027), increased thrombolysis in myocardial infarction score (P = .004), and multivessel disease (P = .007). A higher RDW was observed in patients with parameters that indicated systolic and diastolic dysfunction (ejection fraction of the left ventricle < 50% [P = .009], early/late diastolic filling wave ratio [E/A] < 1 [P = .001], ratio of peak early transmitral velocity and early diastolic annular velocity [E/E'] >10 [P < .001], and combined E/A < 1 and E/E' > 10 [P < .001]). The best discriminatory properties were observed for combined E/A < 1 and E/E' > 10. RDW remained significantly associated with the aforementioned parameters in a series of multivariate regression models.Elevated RDW is significantly associated with the parameters of systolic and diastolic dysfunction even after adjusting for several confounding factors in the setting of STEMI and subsequent percutaneous coronary intervention. RDW seems to be better at discriminating patients with diastolic rather than systolic dysfunction.

Association Between Red Blood Cell Distribution Width and All-cause Mortality in Chronic Kidney Disease Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Considering results among previous studies regarding the relationship of red blood cell distribution width (RDW) and all-cause mortality in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients, we aimed to perform a comprehensive meta-analysis to evaluate the potential association between RDW and all-cause mortality in CKD patients.

METHODS

We conducted a systematic literature using electronic databases (PubMed, Ovid, Embase and Web of Science) to identify the studies reporting the association between RDW and all-cause mortality in CKD patients. We searched the literatures published December 2016 or earlier. We used both fix-effects and random-effects models to calculate the overall effect estimate. A sensitivity analysis and subgroup analysis were performed to find the origin of heterogeneity.

RESULTS

We retrieved 9 studies with a total of 117,047 patients. For every 1% increase in RDW, the risk of all-cause mortality increased by 47% (HR 1.47, 95% CI 1.35-1.61) with no statistical heterogeneity among the studies (I² = 44.5%, p = 0.094). When RDW was entered as a categorical variable, mortality risk was significantly increased (HR 1.84, 95% CI 1.21-2.81). Heterogeneity among the studies was observed for all-cause mortality (I² = 82.3%, p = 0.001). We also performed a predefined subgroup analyses according to study population. We found that for every 1% increase in RDW, the risk of all-cause mortality in hemodialysis (HD) patients increased by 36% (HR 1.36, 95% CI 1.20-1.53).

CONCLUSIONS

Our meta-analysis suggests that high levels of RDW probably increase the risk of all-cause mortality in CKD patients.

Red Blood Cell Distribution Width: A Novel Predictive Indicator for Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases

The red blood cell distribution width (RDW) obtained from a standard complete blood count (CBC) is a convenient and inexpensive biochemical parameter representing the variability in size of circulating erythrocytes. Over the past few decades, RDW with mean corpuscular volume (MCV) has been used to identify quite a few hematological system diseases including iron-deficiency anemia and bone marrow dysfunction. In recent years, many clinical studies have proved that the alterations of RDW levels may be associated with the incidence and prognosis in many cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases (CVDs). Therefore, early detection and intervention in time of these vascular diseases is critical for delaying their progression. RDW as a new predictive marker and an independent risk factor plays a significant role in assessing the severity and progression of CVDs. However, the mechanisms of the association between RDW and the prognosis of CVDs remain unclear. In this review, we will provide an overview of the representative literatures concerning hypothetical and potential epidemiological associations between RDW and CVDs and discuss the underlying mechanisms.

Association between red cell distribution width and mortality in patients undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis

Although red cell distribution width (RDW) has emerged as a biomarker of clinical prognostic value across a variety of clinical settings in the last two decades, limited evidence is available for its role in end-stage renal disease. We enrolled 313 incident patients undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) in this retrospective observational study from 2006 to 2015. In the fully adjusted model of Cox regression analysis, the adjusted hazard ratios for the high RDW group versus the low RDW group were 2.58 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.31–5.09, p = 0.006) and 3.48 (95% CI = 1.44–8.34, p = 0.006) for all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD)-related mortality, respectively. Based on area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) analysis, RDW (AUC = 0.699) had a stronger predictive value for all-cause and CVD-related mortality than other biological markers including hemoglobin (AUC = 0.51), ferritin (AUC = 0.584), iron saturation (AUC = 0.535), albumin (AUC = 0.683) and white blood cell count (AUC = 0.588). Given that RDW is a readily available hematological parameter without the need for additional cost, we suggest that it can be used as a valuable index to stratify the risk of mortality beyond a diagnosis of anemia.

The Predictive Role of Red Cell Distribution Width in Mortality among Chronic Kidney Disease Patients

Background

Recently, accumulating evidence has demonstrated that RDW independently predicts clinically important outcomes in many populations. However, the role of RDW has not been elucidated in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. We conducted the present study with the aim to evaluate the predictive value of RDW in CKD patients.

Methods

A retrospective observational cohort study of 1075 stage 3–5 CKD patients was conducted in a medical center. The patients’ baseline information included demographic data, laboratory values, medications, and comorbid conditions. The upper limit of normal RDW value (14.9%) was used to divide the whole population. Multivariate Cox regression analysis was used to determine the independent predictors of mortality.

Results

Of the 1075 participants, 158 patients (14.7%) died over a mean follow-up of approximately 2.35 years. The crude mortality rate was significantly higher in the high RDW group (high RDW group, 22.4%; low RDW group 11%, p <0.001). From the adjusted model, the high RDW group was correlated with a hazard ratio of 2.19 for overall mortality as compared with the low RDW group (95% CI = 1.53–3.09, p<0.001). In addition, the high RDW group was also associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular disease (HR = 2.28, 95% CI = 1.14–4.25, p = 0.019) and infection (HR = 1.9, 95% CI = 1.15–3.14, p = 0.012)) related mortality in comparison with the low RDW group.

Conclusions

In stage 3–5 CKD patients, RDW was associated with patient mortality of all-cause, cardiovascular disease and infection. RDW should be considered as a clinical predictor for mortality when providing healthcare to CKD patients.

Red Blood Cell Distribution Width is Independently Correlated With Diurnal QTc Variation in Patients With Coronary Heart Disease

To investigate the relationship between red blood cell distribution width (RDW) and diurnal corrected QT (QTc) variation in patients with coronary heart disease. This retrospective study included 203 patients who underwent coronary angiography between February 2013 and June 2014. RDW values and dynamic electrocardiography (Holter) results were collected to investigate the relationship between RDW and diurnal QTc variation. Patients were separated into three groups (A, B, and C) by binning their RDW values in an ascending order. RDW values, coronary artery scores and diurnal QTc variations were significantly different among these groups (P < 0.05). While coronary artery scores gradually rose with increased RDW, diurnal QTc variation decreased. Pearson's correlation analysis was applied to control for confounding factors, and multiple correlation analysis showed that coronary artery score was positively correlated with RDW (r = 0.130, P = 0.020), while it was not correlated with the diurnal QTc variation (r = -0.226, P = 0.681). RDW was negatively correlated with diurnal QTc variation (r = -0.197, P = 0.035). RDW is independently associated with diurnal QTc variation in patients with coronary heart disease.

Red cell distribution width is an independent factor for left ventricular diastolic dysfunction in patients with chronic kidney disease

BACKGROUND

The increased value of the red cell distribution width (RDW) was reported to indicate poor prognosis in patients with chronic heart failure. We evaluated the value of the RDW in the diagnosis of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) in patients without diastolic heart failure among the chronic kidney disease (CKD) population.

METHODS

The study group consisted of 73 ambulatory patients with CKD, stages 2-5. Standard echocardiography and tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) were performed, and the level of RDW was determined. Patients were divided into four groups according to the results of peak early diastolic velocity of mitral annulus (EmLV) and the stage of CKD: group with early stage CKD (eGFR > 30 ml/min/1.73 m(2)) without LVDD (EmLV ≥ 8 cm/s), early stage CKD with LVDD (EmLV < 8 cm/s), group with advanced stage CKD (eGFR ≤ 30 ml/min/1.73 m(2)) without LVDD, and group with advanced stage CKD with LVDD.

RESULTS

Patients with advanced stage CKD with LVDD were characterized by higher RDW levels than patients with advanced stage CKD without LVDD and with early stage CKD groups with and without LVDD [14.5 (13.8-19.5) % vs. 13.7 (11.4-15,4) %, p = 0.049, vs. 13.8(13.1-14.9) %, p = 0.031, vs. 13.7(12.1-16.2) %, p = 0.0007], respectively. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of RDW level for the detection of LVDD was 0.649, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.528-0.758, p = 0.021, whereas ROC derived RDW value of >13.5 % was characterized by a sensitivity of 83.3 % and specificity of 45.2 % for predicting LVDD. The only independent factor of LVDD was RDW level >13.5 % with odds ratio (OR) = 3.92 (95 % CI 1.05-14.56), p = 0.037.

CONCLUSION

RDW can be used as an additional factor for the diagnosis of LVDD in patients with advanced stage of CKD.

The relationship between red-cell distribution width and abnormal left ventricle geometric patterns in patients with untreated essential hypertension

Abnormal left ventricle (LV) geometric patterns are associated with an increased risk of vascular complications of hypertension (HT). The association between red-cell distribution width (RDW) and HT has been recently investigated; however, the relationship between abnormal LV geometric patterns and RDW has not been studied before. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between RDW and abnormal LV geometric patterns in patients with untreated essential HT. Measurements were obtained from 139 patients with untreated essential HT (mean age=51.3±16.3 years). Four different geometric patterns (NG, normal geometry; CR, concentric remodeling; EH, eccentric hypertrophy; CH, concentric hypertrophy) were determined according to the LV mass index (LVMI) and relative wall thickness (RWT). RDW, lipid parameters and other biochemical markers were measured in all patients. While the highest RDW values were detected in the CH group (P<0.05, for all), it was similar among the NG, CR and EH groups (P>0.05, for all). RDW was associated with age, LVMI and LV geometry in bivariate analysis (P<0.05, for all). In a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, a level of RDW>14.5 predicted CH with 81% sensitivity and 59% specificity. Age (beta=0.309, P=0.001), LV geometry type (beta=0.228, P=0.01) and RWT (beta=-0.278; P=0.25) were independent predictors of high RDW in multiple linear regression analysis. In conclusion, the highest RDW values were observed in the CH group in the untreated essential HT patients. RDW seems to be a useful tool for the prediction of end-organ damage in patients with untreated essential HT.