title: Assessment of the relationship between red cell distribution width and fragmented QRS in patients with non-ST elevated acute coronary syndrome.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Red cell distribution width (RDW) and fragmented QRS (fQRS) complexes have also been reported to be pre-dictors of cardiac events and all-cause mortality in coronary artery disease (CAD). We aimed to investigate the association of serum red cell distribution width (RDW) levels and fQRS in patients with non-ST elevated acute coronary syndrome (NST-ACS).
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively evaluated a total of 251 patients (191 men and 60 women) with NST-ACS. The NST-ACS consisted of unstable angina (UA) and non-ST elevated myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). The fQRS pattern was defined as the presence of an additional R' or crochetage wave, notching in the nadir of the S wave or fragmentation of the RS or QS complexes in 2 contiguous leads corresponding to a major coronary artery territory. The relationships between the RDW and fQRS were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The patients in the fQRS group were older, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) levels were significantly lower, and baseline RDW and troponin levels were significantly higher than in the group without fQRS. There were positive correlations between age, number of coronary arteries narrowed, and RDW, and negative correlations between triglyceride, LVEF, and RDW in study patients. There were positive correlations between number of fQRS leads, age, and RDW, and negative correlations between triglyceride, LVEF, and RDW in NSTEMI patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results indicate that an elevated RDW values is associated with fQRS in NST-ACS. Elevated RDW values and fQRS together may be useful for identifying NSTEMI patients in NST-ACS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, School of Medicine, Canakkale, Turkey.
authors.forename: Adem
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bekler
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, School of Medicine, Canakkale, Turkey.
authors.forename: Emine
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gazi
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Bursa Yüksek İhtisas Training and Research Hospital, Bursa, Turkey.
authors.forename: Erhan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tenekecioglu
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Bursa Yüksek İhtisas Training and Research Hospital, Bursa, Turkey.
authors.forename: Kemal
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Karaagac
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, School of Medicine, Canakkale, Turkey.
authors.forename: Burak
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Altun
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, School of Medicine, Canakkale, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Temiz
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, School of Medicine, Canakkale, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Barutçu
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Bursa Yüksek İhtisas Training and Research Hospital, Bursa, Turkey.
authors.forename: Tezcan
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Peker
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Bursa Yüksek İhtisas Training and Research Hospital, Bursa, Turkey.
authors.forename: Burhan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Aslan
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Bursa Yüksek İhtisas Training and Research Hospital, Bursa, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yılmaz
mesh_terms: D054058:Acute Coronary Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004562:Electrocardiography; D004909:Erythrocyte Indices; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology; D012044:Regression Analysis