Relation of red blood cell distribution width with CHADS and CHADS-VASc score in Chinese patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation.

Background: Higher red cell distribution width (RDW) predicts adverse events in patients with cardiovascular diseases. However, there are limited data regarding the relationship between RDW and thromboembolism risk in the patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). We aimed to investigate the association between RDW and CHADS2, CHA2DS2-VASc scores used for the evaluation of thromboembolic risk in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF).

Methods: Our study included 99 patients with AF (68 paroxysmal AF; 31 persistent AF). We calculated CHADS and CHADS-VASc risk scores for each patient, and we carefully recorded clinical characteristics as well as laboratory and echocardiographic parameters. According to CHADS and CHADS-VASc scores, we divided the AF patients into 2 groups (low-intermediate risk and high risk group). Subsequently, we compared the aforementioned parameters between the 2 groups, and we evaluated the relationship between RDW and CHADS/CHA2DS-VASc score. Finally, multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to find independent predictors of high CHADS, CHADS-VASc scores.

Results: Patients with high CHADS, CHADS-VASc scores had older age, higher RDW, and creatinine levels, increased left atrial diameter and lower left ventricular ejection fraction, compared to the low CHADS, CHADS-VASc score group. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that RDW was an independent predictor for high CHADS, CHADS-VASc scores(OR: 2.184 and OR: 5.748; all P<0.05).

Conclusion: RDW is significantly correlated with CHADS and CHADS-VASc score in the patients with AF, while is an independent predictor for high CHADS and CHADS-VASc score.