The Prognostic Significance of Red Cell Distribution Width in Cardiac Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

RED CELL DISTRIBUTION WIDTH (RDW) is a routinely available biomarker of likely erythropoietic dysfunction, which may be associated with adverse outcomes after cardiac surgery. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to clarify the prognostic value of RDW in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. The authors searched MEDLINE, Embase, and the Cochrane Library from inception to May 10, 2022 for studies investigating the association between elevated RDW (as defined by the authors of included studies) and adverse outcomes after cardiac surgery.