title: Preliver transplant red cell distribution width predicts postliver transplant mortality.
abstract: Prognostication following liver transplantation is limited. Red cell distribution width (RDW) has been associated with morbidity and mortality in a variety of diseases. We hypothesize RDW is predictive of mortality postliver transplantation.
  
  
  
  We performed a retrospective cohort study of all consecutive liver transplantation recipients at a tertiary care center from January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2012. The primary end point was association of RDW with one-year mortality. Statistical analysis was performed using the Mann-Whitney test, independent samples t test, and regression analysis. Discrimination was assessed by calculating area under receiver operating curves (AUC). A P-value <.05 was considered significant.
  
  
  
  RDW was positively associated with one-year mortality (P<.001). The mean difference for survivors compared to nonsurvivors was 3.9% (95% CI 1.9%-5.9%). The AUC for RDW was 0.831 (95% CI 0.727-0.935), compared to 0.723 (0.539-0.908) for total bilirubin and 0.704 (0.479-0.929) for the international normalized ratio.
  
  
  
  To our knowledge, this is the first report of an association of RDW with post-LT mortality and the results show the predictive value of pre-LT RDW for one-year mortality.
authors.affiliation: Hepatology and Liver Transplant, Tampa General Medical Group, Tampa, FL, USA.
authors.forename: M Thure
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-1232-6601
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Caire
authors.affiliation: Evidence Based Medicine & Outcomes Research, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Ambuj
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.affiliation: Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA.
authors.forename: R Todd
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Stravitz
authors.affiliation: Hepatology and Liver Transplant, Tampa General Medical Group, Tampa, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Nyingi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kemmer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004909:Erythrocyte Indices; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000401:mortality* / Q000601:surgery; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000401:mortality*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012372:ROC Curve; D012189:Retrospective Studies
keywords: immunopathology; length of stay; liver transplant; outcome; red cell distribution width