@article {Altinp557, author = {Sedat Altin and Ekrem C. Seyhan and Sinem S{\"o}k{\"u}c{\"u} and Seda Tural and Imran Tural and G{\"u}lsah G{\"u}nl{\"u}oglu}, title = {Relation of red blood cell distribution width with long-term survival in acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease}, volume = {38}, number = {Suppl 55}, elocation-id = {p557}, year = {2011}, publisher = {European Respiratory Society}, abstract = {Background: Cardiovascular risk factors and cardiac comorbidities are frequent in COPD patients. Red blood cell distribution width (RDW), an automated measure of red blood cell size heterogeneity (eg, anisocytosis) that is largely overlooked, is a newly recognized risk marker in patients with established cardiovascular disease (CVD). RDW may reflect nutritional deficiencies, bone marrow dysfunction, or systemic inflammation. To study the long-term prognostic value of red blood cell distribution width (RDW) in patients hospitalized with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and to compare the value of this measurement with haemoglobin levels and anaemia status.Methods: During a 4-year period, we studied 149 consecutive patients (aged 61 years, 128 male) hospitalized with COPD. Demographic, clinical, echocardiographical, and laboratory characteristics were registered at discharge and patients were closely followed-up for 40 months (25{\textendash}49).Results: Median RDW was 14.6\% (13.5{\textendash} 16.5) and was higher among decedents (P \<0.001). RDW levels above the median were associated with a significantly lower survival rate on long-term follow-up. These levels were predictive of death in anaemic patients and especially in non-anaemic patients even after adjustment in the multivariable model.Conclusion: In the acute exacerbation of COPD higher RDW levels at discharge were associated with a worse long-term outcome, regardless of haemoglobin levels and anaemia status.}, issn = {0903-1936}, URL = {https://erj.ersjournals.com/content/38/Suppl_55/p557}, eprint = {https://erj.ersjournals.com/content}, journal = {European Respiratory Journal} }