title: Differences in the predictive value of red cell distribution width for the mortality of patients with heart failure due to various heart diseases.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Increased red blood cell distribution width (RDW) is associated with adverse outcomes in patients with heart failure (HF). The objective of this study was to compare the differences in the predictive value of RDW in patients with HF due to different causes.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively investigated 1,021 HF patients from October 2009 to December 2011 at Fuwai Hospital (Beijing, China). HF in these patients was caused by three diseases; coronary heart disease (CHD), dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and valvular heart disease (VHD). Patients were followed-up for 21 ± 9 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The RDW, mortality and survival duration were significantly different among the three groups. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that the cumulative survival decreased significantly with increased RDW in patients with HF caused by CHD and DCM, but not in those with HF patients caused by VHD. In a multivariable model, RDW was identified as an independent predictor for the mortality of HF patients with CHD (P < 0.001, HR 1.315, 95% CI 1.122-1.543). The group with higher N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and higher RDW than median had the lowest cumulative survival in patients with HF due to CHD, but not in patients with HF due to DCM.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  RDW is a prognostic indicator for patients with HF caused by CHD and DCM; thus, RDW adds important information to NT-proBNP in CHD caused HF patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory Center, Fuwai Hospital & Cardiovascular Institute, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory Center, Fuwai Hospital & Cardiovascular Institute, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory Center, Fuwai Hospital & Cardiovascular Institute, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Jin-Suo
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory Center, Fuwai Hospital & Cardiovascular Institute, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Jin-Xing
authors.initials: JX
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of Heart Failure Center, Fuwai Hospital & Cardiovascular Institute, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Shi-Jie
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory Center, Fuwai Hospital & Cardiovascular Institute, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Xiang-Feng
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Cong
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory Center, Fuwai Hospital & Cardiovascular Institute, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Xi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
keywords: Coronary heart disease; Dilated cardiomyopathy; Heart failure; Red blood cell distribution width; Valvular heart disease