title: Red cell distribution width as a predictor of mortality in acute pancreatitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a common cause for hospitalization worldwide. Identification of patients at risk for mortality early in the course of AP is an important step in improving outcome. Red cell distribution width (RDW) is reflective of systemic inflammation. The objective of this study was to investigate the association between RDW and mortality in patients with AP.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 102 patients with AP were included. Demographic data, etiology of pancreatitis, organ failure, metabolic disorder, hospitalization time, and laboratory measures including RDW were obtained from each patient on admission.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Estimating the receiver operating characteristic area under the curve showed that RDW has very good discriminative power for mortality (area under the curve = 0.817; 95% confidence interval, 0.689-0.946). With a cutoff value of 14.8 for RDW, mortality could be correctly predicted in approximately 77% of cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Red cell distribution width on admission is a predictor of mortality in patients with AP.
authors: Department of Surgery, Ankara Numune Training and Research Hospital, Bahçelievler, Ankara, Turkey.
authors: Kazim
authors: K
authors: Şenol
authors: Bariş
authors: B
authors: Saylam
authors: Firat
authors: F
authors: Kocaay
authors: Mesut
authors: M
authors: Tez
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019540:Area Under Curve; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004909:Erythrocyte Indices; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000097:blood / Q000401:mortality*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D012372:ROC Curve; D055815:Young Adult