title: IS RDW A PREDICTIVE PARAMETER FOR CUBITAL TUNNEL SYNDROME PATIENTS REQUIRING SURGERY?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate whether haemogram parameters are predictive factors for both the severity of the disease and a decision in favor of surgical treatment in patients with an established diagnosis of cubital tunnel syndrome (CuTS).
  
  
  METHODS
  The medical files of patients with a diagnosis of CuTS who were followed-up conservatively (n=92) or surgically treated (n=92) were retrospectively screened and the haemogram parameters were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis revealed an area of 0.665 under the curve, with 76.3% sensitivity and 84.8% specificity at the cut-off of a red cell distribution width (RDW) level grater than 15.45%. RDW levels higher than 15.5%, electromyography (EMG) severity, and a clinical score higher than three were found to be independently associated with surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An elevated RDW value was related to the severity of the electromyogram. RDW may, therefore, be a useful independent predictor for the decision to surgical treatment of CuTS.Level of Evidence III, Retrospective Study.
authors.affiliation: . Abant Izzet Baysal University, School of Medicine, Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Bolu, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hakan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sarman
authors.affiliation: . Abant Izzet Baysal University, School of Medicine, Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Bolu, Turkey.
authors.forename: Cengiz
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Isik
authors.affiliation: . Abant Izzet Baysal University, School of Medicine, Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Bolu, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Boz
authors.affiliation: . Abant Izzet Baysal University, School of Medicine, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Bolu, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ismail
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Boyraz
authors.affiliation: . Abant Izzet Baysal University, School of Medicine, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Bolu, Turkey.
authors.forename: Bunyamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Koc
authors.affiliation: . Abant Izzet Baysal University, School of Medicine, Department of Neurology, Bolu, Turkey.
authors.forename: Sule Aydin
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Turkoglu
keywords: Cubital tunnel syndrome/blood; Cubital tunnel syndrome/diagnosis; Cubital tunnel syndrome/etiology; Cubital tunnel syndrome/surgery