Aim: We determined the long-term role of increased RDW (red blood cell distribution width) detected during cardiac decompensation.Methods: We followed 3697 patients [mean age 71.4 years (±SD 10.1), 59.1% males] hospitalized for acute heart failure (HF) and assessed the five-year all-cause mortality risk associated with tertiles of RDW.Results: Patients with RDW in the top tertile showed roughly twofold higher 5-year mortality risk than those in the bottom tertile. The association remained significant not only after adjustments for potential covariates but even if we excluded patients who deceased during the first year of follow-up [HRR 1.76 (95% CIs:1.42-2.18), p < 0.0001].Conclusion: The high degree of anisocytosis represents an independent predictor of poor prognosis in HF patients, even long-term after an acute manifestation.

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• Keywords
• RDW, anisocytosis, cardiac decompensation, mortality, red blood cell,
• MeSH
• Erythrocyte Indices * MeSH
• Erythrocytes cytology   pathology   metabolism   MeSH
• Hospitalization * MeSH
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Follow-Up Studies MeSH
• Prognosis MeSH
• Aged, 80 and over MeSH
• Aged MeSH
• Heart Failure * blood   mortality   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Aged, 80 and over MeSH
• Aged MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH