No definitive prognostic biomarkers for carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning have been proposed. The aim of this study is to investigate, through a systematic literature review and pooled analysis, whether red blood cell distribution width (RDW) can predict disease severity in CO-poisoned patients. We performed an electronic search in Scopus and PubMed using the keywords: \'red blood cell distribution width\' OR \'RDW\' AND \'carbon monoxide\' AND \'poisoning,\' with no time or language restrictions (i.e. through August 2023) to find clinical studies that examined the value of RDW in patients with varying severity of CO poisoning. The analysis was performed according to the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) 2020 reporting checklist. We identified 29 articles, seven of which were included in our analysis, with a total of 1979 CO-poisoned patients, 25.9% of whom were severely ill. In all but one of the studies, the RWD mean or median value was higher in CO-poisoned patients with severe disease. The weighted mean difference (WMD) of RDW was 0.36 (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.26-0.47)%. In the three articles in which the severity of illness in CO-poisoned patients was defined as cardiac injury, the WMD of the RDW was 1.26 (95%CI, 1.02-1.50)%. These results suggest that monitoring RDW in CO-poisoned patients may help to determine the severity of disease, particularly cardiac injury.

Recent medical research has explored Red Cell Distribution Width (RDW) as a potential biomarker for predicting adverse clinical outcomes in patients with aortic pathologies. The study \"Systematic literature review and critical analysis of RDW in patients with aortic pathologies\" conducted a pooled analysis of 704 patients, revealing a consistent association between elevated RDW levels and adverse clinical progression. While the study provides valuable insights into RDW\'s diagnostic and prognostic potential, limitations include the inclusion of a limited number of articles and the lack of direct comparison with established biomarkers or imaging techniques. Further research is needed to validate RDW\'s clinical utility and elucidate underlying biological mechanisms. RDW shows promise as a cost-effective marker for risk stratification and monitoring in clinical practice, but further validation and refinement are necessary for its full clinical impact in aortic diseases.

Diseases of the aorta, such as aortic aneurysm, dissection, and rupture, account for a large proportion of acute clinical emergencies. The red blood cell distribution width (RDW), which directly reflects anisocytosis (i.e., the heterogeneity of erythrocyte volumes), has emerged as a promising biomarker for many cardiovascular pathologies. Thus, we aimed to explore the implication of RDW in aortic pathologies. We searched Scopus and PubMed using the keywords \"RDW\" OR \"red blood cell distribution width\" AND \"aortic aneurysm\" OR \"aortic dilatation\" OR \"aortic dissection\" for identifying studies in which RDW values were measured in patients with these aortic diseases. Ten observational studies were finally included. In all studies, RDW value was increased in patients with aortic diseases. In the four studies in which sufficient RDW data were available for pooling, the weighted mean difference (WMD) of RDW in patients with or without complicated aortic pathologies was 0.575 (95 %CI, 0.254-0.896). RDW may be a valuable diagnostic and prognostic biomarker in patients with aortic pathologies.

This systematic review and meta-analysis aim to establish associations between metabolic syndrome (MetS) and erythrocyte and platelet markers, contributing to improved diagnostic tests for identifying individuals at risk. Observational studies and Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) were included. The standardized mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of erythrocyte and platelet markers between individuals with and without MetS were used as effect size (inverse variance model). Methodological quality assessment was conducted using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale (NOS) for observational studies and the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool 2.0 for RCTs. The analysis included 51 articles. Compared to controls, individuals with MetS exhibited significantly higher concentrations of mean red blood cell count [Standardized Mean Difference (95% CI): 0.15 (0.13-0.18); p<0.00001], hemoglobin [0.24 (0.18-0.31); p<0.00001], blood platelet count [5.49 (2.78-8.20); p<0.0001], and red blood cell distribution width [(0.55 (0.05-1.04); p=0.03]. Regarding mean platelet volume [0.16 (- 0.03 to 0.35); p=0.10] and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) [7.48 (-2.85-17.81); p=0.16], a non-significant difference was observed in patients with MetS. There was no statistically significant difference in hematocrit counts between the two groups [0.47 (-0.40 to -1.34); p=0.29]. Biomarkers such as mean red blood cell count, hemoglobin, blood platelet count, and RDW are associated with higher levels in patients in MetS, whereas mean platelet volume and PLR tend to be lower. These markers can potentially provide new avenues for early diagnosis of MetS.

Red blood cells (RBCs) have emerged as biomarkers of the aging process as they undergo several changes in human aging and age-related diseases. The objectives of our study are to explore the effect of human aging on RBC indices, the strengths, therapeutic interventions, challenges, and future directions for using RBCs as a biomarker. Two online databases, PubMed and ScienceDirect, were used to search relevant studies using \"RBCs as biomarkers of human aging,\" \"red blood cells [MeSH Terms] AND biomarkers [MeSH Terms] AND human aging [MeSH Terms],\" and \"erythrocytes and human aging\" as keywords. A total of 474 studies were identified, and after the removal of duplicates, excluding studies based on title, abstract, or full text, 74 studies and 48 additional studies found through cross-referencing were included in this systematic review. Based on the evidence, we concluded that RBC indices such as hemoglobin concentration, mean corpuscular volume, RBC distribution width, RBC membrane, oxidative stress, and metabolism change with human aging. Several studies have applied therapeutic interventions to RBCs, including dietary supplementation, phytochemicals, nanoparticles, and physical activity, to mitigate aging and related outcomes. Hence, the quality of life for older people and healthy aging can be improved by further investigating the RBC parameters, molecular mechanisms, and their implications for age-related health consequences.

Background and Objectives: The hemoglobin (Hb)/red cell distribution width (RDW) ratio has emerged as an accessible, repeatable, and inexpensive prognostic factor that may predict survival in cancer patients. The focus of this systematic review is to investigate the prognostic role of the Hb/RDW ratio in cancer and the implications for clinical practice. Materials and Methods: A literature search of PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases was performed by an independent author between 18 March and 30 March 2023 to collect relevant literature that assessed the prognostic value of the Hb/RDW ratio in cancer. Overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and the association of these with the Hb/RDW ratio were considered to be the main endpoints. Results: Thirteen retrospective studies, including 3818 cancer patients, were identified and involved in this review. It was observed that, when patients with a high vs. low Hb/RDW ratio were compared, those with a lower Hb/RDW ratio had significantly poorer outcomes (p < 0.05). In lung cancer patients, a one-unit increase in the Hb/RDW ratio reduces mortality by 1.6 times, whilst in esophageal squamous-cell carcinoma patients, a lower Hb/RDW ratio results in a 1.416-times greater risk of mortality. Conclusions: A low Hb/RDW ratio was associated with poor OS and disease progression in patients with cancer. This blood parameter should be considered a standard biomarker in clinical practice for predicting OS and PFS in cancer patients. Future searches will be necessary to determine and standardize the Hb/RDW cut-off value and to assess whether the Hb/RDW ratio is optimal as an independent prognostic factor or if it requires incorporation into risk assessment models for predicting outcomes in cancer patients.

The significant role of red blood cell distribution width (RDW) and D-Dimer as prognostic factors in patients with some blood malignancies has been reported recently.
We designed and performed a meta-analysis to investigate the prognostic roles of RDW and D-Dimer in subjects with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL).
We systematically reviewed PubMed-Medline, SCOPUS, EMBASE, Web of Science Core Collection, and Google Scholar up to the present to look for publications on prognostic effects of RDW and D-Dimer in DLBCL patients. For investigation of the associations between RDW and D-Dimer with the overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) of the DLBCL cases, hazard ratio (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) was used.
We included 13 eligible studies in the present meta-analysis. The results of pooled analysis showed that increased levels of RDW was related to poor OS (HR = 2.01, 95% CI: 1.62-2.48, p value <.01, I2  = 0%) and poor PFS (HR = 1.52, 95% CI: 1.24-1.85, p value <.01, I2  = 16%) among the DLBCL patients. Similarly, a significant relationship was found between increased D-Dimer and poor OS (HR = 2.30, 95% CI: 1.03-5.14, p value <.05, I2  = 95%) of the DLBCL patients as well. In addition, there was no significant heterogeneity in OS (p value H = 0.65) and PFS (p value H = 0.31) related to RDW among studies included in the meta-analysis.
Our finding clearly confirmed that elevated RDW levels and D-Dimer were associated with adverse OS and PFS in DLBCL.

This review examined the association between red cell distribution width (RDW) and mortality after hip fracture.
PubMed, CENTRAL, Scopus, Web of Science, and Embase were searched up to 10th January 2023 for studies comparing mortality after hip fracture based on RDW. All cut-offs of RDW were accepted. Crude and adjusted mortality ratios were pooled separately.
Nine studies with 5,274 patients were eligible. Meta-analysis of eight studies reporting crude mortality rates showed that patients with high RDW had a significantly higher risk of mortality than those with low RDW (RR: 2.81 95% CI: 2.05, 3.86 I2=82%). The results did not change in significance on subgroup analyses based on study location, sample size, the cut-off of RDW, and follow-up. Four studies reported adjusted mortality rates. Analysis of the same showed that high RDW was an independent predictor of mortality in hip fracture patients (HR: 3.14 95% CI: 1.38, 7.14 I2=95%).
Within the limitations of the review, RDW was found to be an indicator of mortality in hip fracture patients. High RDW was significantly associated with increased mortality despite different cut-offs among studies. Further research is needed to generate more rigorous evidence.

UNASSIGNED: Stroke is known as a common cause of disability all over the world. Stroke prognosis estimation has always been a topic of interest. In this study, it was tried to investigate the prognostic value of laboratory findings of complete blood count in a systematic review.
UNASSIGNED: In this systematic review, literature from Medline via (PubMed, Ovid) Embase, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and ProQuest between 1988 and 2020 were included. A combination of Mesh and free terms were included in the search strategy: \"Stroke\", \"Red Cell Distribution Width\", \"Blood Cell Count\", \"Mean corpuscular hemoglobin\", and \"Mean Corpuscular Volume\" and with the abbreviation, in all fields. Data synthesis was achieved using content analysis.
UNASSIGNED: Elevated red blood cell distribution width was associated with stroke, cardiovascular events, and all-cause deaths among patients with prior stroke. Mean platelet volume has not any prognostic significance in ischemic stroke. There was a poor association between mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and stroke prognosis. Globulin and hemoglobin level predicted short-term mortality following acute ischemic stroke.
UNASSIGNED: Complete blood count as a routine and efficient test performed in health care centers can be used to estimate the prognosis of stroke.

Although considered a mild clinical condition, many laboratory issues of the carrier state of β-thalassemia remain unresolved. Accurate laboratory screening of β-thalassemia traits is crucial for preventing the birth of a β-thalassemia major child. Identification of carriers in the laboratory is affected by factors that influence red cell indices and HbA2 quantification. Silent mutations and co-inheriting genetic and non-genetic factors affect red cell indices which decreases the effectiveness of the conventional approach. Similarly, the type of β mutation, co-inheriting genetic and non-genetic factors, and technical aspects, including the analytical method used and variations in the HbA2 cut-off values, affect the HbA2 results, leading to further confusion. However, the combination of mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, and hemoglobin analysis increases the diagnostic accuracy. Diagnostic problems arising from non-genetic factors can be eliminated by carefully screening the patient\'s clinical history. However, issues due to certain genetic factors, such as Krüppel-like factor 1 gene mutations and α triplication still remain unresolved. Each laboratory should determine the population-specific reference ranges and be wary of machine-related variations of HbA2 levels, the prevalence of silent mutations in the community.