Search

Introduction: In patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) in the 5th stage, nearly 50% of deaths are related to cardiovascular complications. In various populations, the red cell volume distribution width (RDW-CV), index of anisocytosis was shown to be a significant predictor of mortality. Aim of the study was to evaluate the value of RDW-CV with reference to parameters used in monitoring patients treated with chronic hemodialysis, including laboratory markers useful in diagnosis of anemia. Material and Methods: The study group consisted of 79 patients (29 women and 50 men) in middle age 61 ± 13 years, treated with hemodialysis in the Department of Clinical Nephrology, Krakow, Poland due to stage 5 CKD. The average time of renal replacement therapy was 7.41 ± 6.5 years. Eleven patients died within a year from the start of the study The results showed a statistically significant differences of RDW-CV among hemodialyzed patients depending on the degree of anemia. The highest values of RDW-CV occurred in patients who have died. A cut-off point of RDW-CV = 14.8% allows prediction of death within 1 year from laboratory measurements with diagnostic sensitivity of 73% and diagnostic specificity of 75% (AUC 0.799; odds ratio = 3.027). Conclusions: Determination of RDW-CV is a simple and easily available marker obtained during routine blood counts assessment. Analysis of changes over time carried out in CKD patients treated with hemodialysis can serve as a prognostic indicator correlated with mortality.