Bleeding in Injuries increase RDW [ 32 ]. Bleeding may not necessarily be visible, as is the case with gut bleeding [ 33 , 34 ]. Erythropoietin , a hormone produced by the kidneys, is needed for the production and maturation of red blood cells. Abnormal production of this hormone happens in kidney disease leading to increased RDW [ 1 ].
People with decreased kidney function have higher RDW levels [ 35 ]. In a study of over RDW is also affected by shift work. RDW is higher in people with sleep apnea [ 38 , 39 ]. Hereditary red blood cell disorders, such as sickle cell anemia, thalassemia, and spherocytosis can increase RDW [ 12 , 40 , 12 ]. In all of these disorders red blood cells become misshapen. However, thalassemia patients may also have normal RDW levels [ 40 , 12 , 41 ].
RDW is higher in various cancers, including gastric, liver, colon, and kidney cancer [ 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 ]. There are many factors in cancer that can interfere with red blood cell production, such as chronic inflammation and poor nutritional status.
In cancer, RDW often increases with disease severity and metastasis [ 46 ]. Metabolic syndrome is a group of health issues that together increase the risk of heart attack, stroke, and diabetes. These issues are:. Similarly, another smaller study with 3. In another study of people with high blood pressure, higher RDW was associated with an increased risk of plaque buildup in the arteries atherosclerosis [ 50 ]. In a study that monitored 2.
However, no link between RDW and cancer was found in premenopausal women [ 52 ]. In a study of over 8k adults and a year follow up, higher initial RDW values were associated with a higher risk of death. In another study of over 51k people who were hospitalized due to critical illness and followed over one year, a higher initial RDW measurement was associated with higher all-cause mortality [ 54 ]. Finally, a meta-analysis looked at 13 trials with over 10k people who experienced acute coronary syndrome, which is decreased blood flow to the heart such that part of the heart muscle is unable to function properly or dies.
A low RDW during the syndrome was associated with a significantly lower heart disease and all-cause mortality and a lower risk of subsequent risk of having a major adverse cardiovascular event such as heart disease or stroke [ 55 ].
The additional lifestyle changes listed below are other things you may want to discuss with your doctor. None of these strategies should ever be done in place of what your doctor recommends or prescribes! Eat a healthy and nutritious diet in order to prevent nutrient deficiencies. An RDW blood test is typically used to diagnose anaemia and different conditions such as:. Before you undergo an RDW blood test, you will be asked to fast by your doctor for a few hours, based on the other tests that you need to take.
Before the test, your doctor may give you special instructions. The test lasts typically for less than five minutes. The test is simple and quick. Your healthcare provider will draw blood from a vein using a small needle. When the needle goes in, you may feel a stinging sensation. Your blood will be collected in a tube, and once the tube is filled, the needle will be removed from your arm. To stop the bleeding, some pressure and a bandage will be applied over the puncture site. For testing, your blood will be sent to the laboratory, where the lab technician examines both red blood cell size and distribution.
There are minimal risks associated with an RDW blood test. You may experience slight pain or bruise in the puncture site, but these symptoms quickly go away. For an adult male, the normal range of RDW is A health care professional will take a sample of your blood by using a small needle to draw blood from a vein in your arm.
The needle is attached to a test tube, which will store your sample. When the tube is full, the needle will be removed from your arm. You may feel a little sting when the needle goes in or out. This usually takes less than five minutes.
After the needle is removed, you'll be given a bandage or a piece of gauze to press over the site for a minute or two to help stop the bleeding. You may want to keep the bandage on for a couple of hours. You don't need any special preparations for a RDW test. If your health care provider has also ordered other blood tests, you may need to fast not eat or drink for several hours before the test.
Your health care provider will let you know if there are any special instructions to follow. There is very little risk to a blood test. You may have slight pain or bruising at the spot where the needle was put in, but most symptoms go away quickly.
RDW results help your health care provider understand how much your red blood cells vary in size and volume. Even if your RDW results are normal, you may still have a medical condition needing treatment. That's why RDW results are usually combined with other blood measurements. This combination of results can provide a more complete picture of the health of your red blood cells and can help diagnose a variety of conditions, including:.
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