Open Access Review Stroke Vasc Neurol: first published as 10.1136/svn-2017-000071 on 23 June 2017. Downloaded from Red blood cell distribution width and ischaemic stroke Gang-Hua Feng,1 Hai-Peng Li,1 Qiu-Li Li,1 Ying Fu,2 Ren-Bin Huang1 To cite: Feng G-H, Li H-P, Li Q-L, ABSTRACT coronary syndrome, ischaemic cerebro- et al. Red blood cell distribution The red blood cell distribution width (RDW) is a measure vascular disease, peripheral artery disease, width and ischaemic stroke. of red blood cell (RBC) size heterogeneity, which is easily heart failure (HF), atrial fibrillation (AF) Stroke and Vascular Neurology calculated by dividing the SD of erythrocyte volumes for 4 6–10 2017;2: e000071. doi:10.1136/ and hypertension. the mean corpuscular volume. Recent reporter suggested svn-2017-000071 5. RDW can be made as a predictor of that, besides haematological diseases and anaemia, many mortality in patients with cancer, chronic human disorders may be closely associated with the lung disease or acute renal failure.4 11 Received 19 January 2017 elevated RDW. A literature review has revealed the RDW Revised 28 April 2017 may be closely related to the development of ischaemic Stroke is the result of cerebral vascular Accepted 7 May 2017 occlusion or haemorrhage, and it is the stroke, carotid artery atherosclerosis and cerebral 12–14 Published Online First embolism. Higher RDW could independently predict leading cause of death in the world. At 23 June 2017 adverse outcomes in patients in these conditions. present, clinical diagnosis relies on history, neurological examinations and neuro-im- aging. Several scoring systems are used to INTRODUCTION quantify the degree of severity of stroke: the The red blood cell distribution width (RDW) Glasgow Coma Scale, Canadian Neurolog- is a parameter that reflects the heterogeneity ical Scale, Scandinavian Stroke Scale and of the red blood cell volume. It is indicated National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale that the variation coefficient of the red blood (NIHSS).15 However, there is no biological cell volume is more objective and accurate surrogate marker to diagnose stroke. RDW than that of the red blood cell on the blood by flow cytometry could be an option for smear. RDW is in about 11.0%–16.0% in this purpose and predict the occurrence of normal population. RDW will rise under some stroke.1 16–18 physiological and pathological conditions.1 2 RDW has at least five clinical significant METHODS http://svn.bmj.com/ meanings: In this meta-analysis, we analysed the current 1. To diagnose and guide the treatment of scientific literature on the putative role iron deficiency anaemia. Traditionally, and the potential epidemiological associ- anaemia deficiency from iron can be ation between RDW and ischaemic stroke differentiated from folate deficiency (including carotid artery atherosclerosis). according to the size of RDW. RDW would Keywords used include the RDW, ischaemic increase because of the release of immature stroke and the outcomes of ischaemic stroke. on October 3, 2021 by guest. Protected copyright. red blood cells into the blood stream in Data base used include CNKI and PubMed. 3–5 certain haematological diseases. RDW Fifty-seven manuscripts were identified, and increases in iron deficiency anaemia, and 40 of them were included. such increase would appear earlier than 1 Department of Neurology, the decline of mean corpuscular volume RESULTS The First People’s Hospital of (MCV), which can be an early indication Chenzhou, University of South Overall, considerable and convincing China, Chenzhou, China of iron deficiency. When MCV is low, RDW evidence has been demonstrated that an 2Thyroid Medicine Department/ would increase more significantly. When increased RDW value is likely associated with Radionuclide Therapy iron therapy is given, RDW would elevate ischaemic cerebrovascular disease, carotid Department (Ward 31), Hunan first and then gradually reduce at the artery atherosclerosis and cerebral embolism. Provincial Tumor Hospital, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of normal level. Higher RDW could independently predict Xiangya School of Medicine, 2. To diagnose small cell and low pigment adverse outcomes in patients in these condi- Central South University, anaemia. tions.19 20 Changsha, China 3. To classify anaemia. 4. Previously, many research suggested that Correspondence to RDW IN ISCHAEMIC STROKE Professor Ren-Bin Huang; RDW was closely related to the mortality Cerebral infarction (CI) is a general term 470165013@ qq. com and cardiovascular events, such as acute of ischaemic stroke, including cerebral 172 Feng G-H, et al. Stroke and Vascular Neurology 2017;2:e000071. doi:10.1136/svn-2017-000071 Open Access thrombosis, lacunar infarction and cerebral embolism. (IMT) by using carotid artery ultrasound. They have Stroke Vasc Neurol: first published as 10.1136/svn-2017-000071 on 23 June 2017. Downloaded from Ischaemic stroke accounted for about 70% of all strokes, found that elevated RDW was related to preclinical and which is caused by brain–blood supply disorder of brain clinical CAS and suggested that RDW was an independent lesions. risk factor for severe atherosclerosis.30 Martin et al have Current study confirms that RDW is closely related to come to the same conclusion based on a cohort study of the occurrence of ischaemic stroke. Jia et al studied 392 Swedish population.31 patients with a primary diagnosis of ischaemic stroke with Wen studied IMT by ultrasound in 156 hypertensive MRI, then performed carotid ultrasound and laboratory patients (60–85 years old). They have found that RDW examination. They have found that the levels of RDW in level was an independent predictor of IMT and plaque-re- these patients was higher than those with no strokes.21 lated incidences.32 And a large number of studies have This study confirmed that RDW played an important confirmed that elevated RDW levels may have result in role in the progression of an ischaemic stroke. Similarly, the hardening of the arteries. Söderholm et al found that high levels of RDW could increase the risk of stroke or CI in a population-based cohort study in 2015.22 However, Lappegård et al have DISCUSSION found that elevated RDW levels did not predict any The exact biological mechanism between RDW and increased risk of death after stroke.23 ischaemic stroke remains unclear. Inflammation and Clinically, the severity of stroke is evaluated by several oxidative stress (OS) may play an important role in RDW bedside scoring systems or imaging studies. Kara et al in ischaemic stroke.15 24 Inflammation can reduce the studied the RDW in 128 patients with acute ischaemic survival rate of red blood cells, inhibit the production of stroke (AIS; symptoms <24 hours) and compared their red blood cells or erythropoietin and finally lead to red scoring systems to the levels of RDW. They have found cell damage.33 34 Some studies have suggested that RDW that significantly higher levels of RDW could predict was similar to tumour necrosis factor receptor or C-reac- increased risk of total stroke occurrence with the bedside tive protein (CRP), which were also markers for inflam- scoring systems.15 Therefore, it is likely that RDW could mation.35 Ferrucci et al thought a variety of inflammatory predict the severity and functional outcomes in patients cytokines can be used as a parameter, suggesting that with stroke. Kim et al reported that the greater the magni- higher levels of inflammation and high concentrations tude of RDW, the higher the mortality rate and worsening of RDW in non-anaemic elderly was closely related to of functional outcome in acute stroke. These studies the production of erythropoietin, while it was negatively seemed to indicate that RDW can be used as a biomarker associated with anaemia.36 High CRP and erythrocyte for assessing the severity of stroke and prognosis of sedimentation rate in elevated RDW was independent of patients with AIS.24 other confounding factors. OS was the imbalance between in vivo oxidation and antioxidation, resulting in neutrophil infiltration, RDW IN CEREBRAL EMBOLISM http://svn.bmj.com/ increased protease secretion and accumulation of a large Cerebral embolism can be generated from several sources. number of oxidation intermediates.36 OS was a result of It can be cardiogenic or arterial to arterial embolisa- negative effect produced by free radicals in the body and tion. One of the sources is the internal carotid artery. At an important factor leading to ageing and disease. The present, RDW cannot be used to predict the mechanism imbalance between antioxidant and oxidant will cause of a stroke, such as in cerebral embolism. Through CHS oxidative damage to nucleic acids, proteins and lipids, computerised database, Saliba et al conducted a prospec- on October 3, 2021 by guest. Protected copyright. thus affecting the survival of red blood cells.37 This may tive study of 77 297 patients and found that RDW change lead to the damage of red blood cell membrane, increased was directly related to a stroke. However, it also showed red blood cell fragility, reduced red blood cell maturation correlation of stroke to AF. Adamsson et al selected 27 124 and red blood cell longevity and elevation of RDW.38 middle-aged subjects (45 years old–73 years old, female In addition, studies have suggested that oxidative 62%) with AF, HF, myocardial infarction or stroke and damage and antioxidant levels were associated with cere- followed up for 13.6 years. They found that RDW levels bral ischaemia and reperfusion injury. Toxic protections correlated well to the incidence of stroke caused by AF in from oxidative damage would affect functional outcome Sweden.25 The results showed that RDW may be related to and mortality in stroke.39 40 Semba et al followed 786 the risk of cerebral embolism. women with moderate to severe disability for 24 months in Baltimore.