Red cell distribution width in cardiac diseases: Role of hemorheology and chronic inflammation

Red cell distribution width (RDW) is a simple, inexpensive, and unique laboratory parameter. This hematologic parameter reflecting the heterogeneity of red size was used conventionally to differentiate anemic diseases but currently as prognostic marker common well cardiac diseases. Higher RDW associated with lower therapeutic response in patients acute myocardial infarction undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention, those atrial fibrillation catheter ablation, heart failure under drug therapy. showing such wide usefulness linked chronic inflammation, which dysregulates normal erythropoiesis impairs deformability cells within microcirculation. Disturbed microcirculation causes persistent systemic tissue hypoxia-reoxygenation insult impairing redox homeostasis, induces inflammation clonal hematopoiesis intermediate potential stress memory. Therefore, higher sustained many by hemorheological causing expansion erythroid leading reduced increased unknown mechanisms.