title: Usefulness of admission red blood cell distribution width as a predictor of severity of acute pulmonary embolism.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Previous researches have represented a considerable relation between acute pulmonary embolism (PE) and red blood cell distribution width (RDW). To the authors' knowledge no research has been informed in subjects with PE severity. Pulmonary arterial obstruction index (PAOI) is associated with the severity of acute PE.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  In our investigation, we purposed to assess the relation between PAOI and RDW and the benefit of these factors in the detection of PE severity.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively investigated the demographic information, probability of clinical scores, laboratory parameters, serum D-dimer levels, and echocardiographic findings of systolic pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) in Acute PE individuals who were diagnosed by computed tomography of pulmonary arterial angiography. Right ventricular dysfunction (RVD) on CT was assessed by calculating the right ventricular/left ventricular (RV/LV) diameter ratios on transverse (RV/LVtrans).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The information of 131 patients with acute PE and 51 (64.6%) female and 28 (35.4%) male healthy control were evaluated. Acute PE group's RDW values were higher than control subjects (P < .0001). RDW (%) level was remarkable higher in patients with massive PE than in patients with nonmassive PE. There were statistically considerable differences in terms of PAOI and systolic pulmonary arterial pressure (sPAP) between nonmassive and massive PE patients (P < .0001 for all).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PAOI was correlated with PE severity, D-dimer level, sPAP and clinical probability scores. PAOI was correlated with RDW levels. RDW levels, an inexpensive and easily measurable laboratory factor, were considerable associated with the severity and presence of PE.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chest Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Ordu University, Ordu, Turkey.
authors.forename: Recep
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Akgedik
authors.affiliation: Department of Chest Diseases, Ataturk Chest Diseases and Chest Surgery Education and Research State Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Harun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Karamanli
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Ordu University, Ordu, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ali Bekir
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Kurt
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, Ordu University, Ordu, Turkey.
authors.forename: Zeki Yüksel
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Günaydın
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D000072226:Computed Tomography Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D018450:Disease Progression; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler / Q000379:methods; D004906:Erythrocyte Count; D004909:Erythrocyte Indices / Q000502:physiology; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012016:Reference Values; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D015996:Survival Rate; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products; C036309:fibrin fragment D
keywords: multidetector computed tomography; pulmonary arterial obstruction index; pulmonary artery pressure; pulmonary embolism; red cell distribution width