Red cell distribution width related to the severity of the disease in patients with AECOPD.

Aims: This research aims to elucidate the association between red cell distribution width (RDW) and the severity of acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD).

Patients & Methods: This retrospective study enrolled patients with AECOPD and healthy controls. A comprehensive meta-analysis was further conducted by systematically searching PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library up to 27 April 2023.

Results: Univariate logistic regression analysis indicated that elevated RDW levels were significantly associated with AECOPD ( = 0.016). The pooled results yielded a diagnostic sensitivity of 0.76 (95% CI: 0.70-0.81) and specificity of 0.53 (95% CI: 0.38-0.68) for RDW in predicting AECOPD severity.

Conclusion: Elevated RDW levels exhibit a linear positive correlation with AECOPD severity, further supported by meta-analysis.