Back ground
Raised red cell distribution width (RDW) values have been associated with poor prognostic outcome in certain cardiac diseases. Our aim was to examine the relationship between RDW and the severity of coronary artery disease (CAD).
Patients and methods
Our current study included 199 patients who had coronary angiography for chronic coronary syndrome. RDW was measured for all patients. Classification of patients was done according to the syntax score into three groups: low (1–22), moderate (23–32), and high syntax score (>32).
Results
This study revealed that obstructive CAD patients had higher RDW than nonobstructive CAD (14.81 ± 1.3 vs. 12.95 ± 1.2) ( < 0.001). Moreover, RDW of high syntax-score patients (16.52 ± 0.7) was higher than that of patients with moderate syntax score (RDW = 15.77 ± 1.1) and low syntax-score patients (RDW = 13.91 ± 1.4). Also, a statistical significant relation was detected between RDW levels and syntax score ( = 0.778, < 0.001). Multivariate analysis illustrated that smoking, hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes, obesity, and elevated RDW (odds ratio = 3.175, 95% confidence interval = 2.020–4.917, < 0.001) were predictors of CAD.
Conclusions
RDW values were higher among high syntax-score patients. Also, the degree of severity of CAD has been correlated with higher levels of RDW.