Red Blood Cell Distribution Width As a Predictor of Mortality and Poor Functional Outcome After Acute Ischemic Stroke: a Meta-analysis and Meta-regression

Overview

Journal BMC Neurol

Publisher Biomed Central

Specialty Neurology

Date 2024 Apr 12

PMID 38609862

Authors

Huiqin Shen

Lihong Shen

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: This study aimed to review evidence on the ability of red cell distribution width (RDW) to predict mortality and poor functional outcomes after acute ischemic stroke (AIS).

Methods: Databases of PubMed, CENTRAL, Scopus, Embase, and Web of Science were searched online from inception to 25th Jul 2023 for all studies reporting the association between RDW and outcomes as adjusted ratios. A random-effects meta-analysis was done. Meta-regression was conducted using multiple moderators.

Results: 15 studies with 14,968 patients were included. Meta-analysis found that RDW, both as a categorical variable (OR: 2.10 95% CI: 1.74, 2.55 I = 42%) and continuous variable OR: 1.16 95% CI: 1.05, 1.28 I = 64%) was a significant predictor of mortality after AIS. Age and number of hypertensives were found to be significant moderators in the meta-regression. Also, high RDW, as a categorical variable (OR: 1.68 95% CI: 1.20, 2.35 I = 84%), was associated with significantly higher odds of poor functional outcomes after AIS, but not as a continuous variable (OR: 1.07 95% CI: 0.99, 1.16 I = 61%). Meta-regression showed that the association was stronger in small sample-sized studies.

Conclusion: RDW can be a useful, readily available, and cost-effective biomarker to rapidly stratify AIS patients at risk of poor outcomes. High RDW was consistently associated with an increased risk of mortality after AIS, however, its ability to predict poor functional outcomes needs to be verified by further studies.

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