Red cell distribution width as a predictor of impaired exercise capacity in patients with heart failure

Aim    To test a hypothesis that increased values of red cell distribution width (RDW) in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) can be related with low exercise tolerance.
Material and methods    102 patients were evaluated who had CHF with mid-range and reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LV EF) without anemia (72% men, mean age 66±10.2 years). Cardiopulmonary stress test (CPST), echocardiography, 6‑min walk test (6MWT), blood count, and measurements of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-pro-BNP) and serum iron were performed.
Results    The average LV EF was 39±8.7 %; the peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak) was 13.7±4.8 ml /kg /min; and the median NT-pro-BNP was 595.3 pg /ml (Q1–3 1443–2401). RDW variables, including the RDW coefficient of variation (RDW-CV) and RDW standard deviation (RDW-SD), were not significantly related with serum iron or hemoglobin concentrations. A one-factor linear regression analysis showed a significant correlation of VO2peak with RDW-SD (р=0.039). A multivariate linear regression analysis with adjustments for LV EF, hemoglobin concentration, and age did not reveal any significant correlation of VO2peak with RDW variables. The distance covered in the 6MWT was significantly associated with RDW-CV both in the one-factor analysis and with adjustments for LV EF, hemoglobin and serum iron concentrations, and age.
Conclusion    This study showed that high RDW values in CHF patients without anemia predicted low exercise tolerance regardless of the age, LV systolic function, and hemoglobin and serum iron concentrations. A 16% increase in RDW-CV significantly decreased the likelihood of covering a distance longer than 360 m during 6 min.

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