ABSTRACT
Background: red cell distribution width is a marker associated with increased mortality and morbidity in cardiac patients, however it's relation with coronary artery calcium score [CACS] is not well studied yet
Aim of the work: this study aimed to assess the relation between red cell distribution width [RDW] and coronary artery calcium score [CACS] in the diabetic patients undergoing coronary CT angiography
Patients and methods: this study was conducted on 60 patients presented for assessment of coronary artery disease [CAD] by coronary CT angiography and they were categorized into 2 groups, group [A] diabetics[30 patients],group[B]non-diabetics [30 patients], All patients included in this study were subjected to: History Taking, complete physical examination, multi-slice CT coronary angiography [MSCT] including calcium score[CACS], laboratory investigations including complete blood count [CBC] including RDW[SDandCV], serum calcium level[total and ionized], erythrocyte sedimentation rate [ESR], lipid profile
Results: higher RDW[SD] was associated with the presence of greater coronary complexity of CAD and higher calcium score. In our study total serum calcium and RDW [SD] were found to be independent predictors of high Ca score more than 100, while ionized calcium and systolic blood pressure[SBP] were independent predictors of high Calcium score more than 400. Cut off value of RDW to predict high calcium score [more than 100] was RDW[CV] more than 13.45 and RDW[SD] more than44.45, while Cut off value of RDW to predict high calcium score [more than 400] was RDW[SD] more than 45.1
Conclusions: a greater baseline RDW[SD] value was independently associated with the presence of a greater coronary complexity of CAD and higher calcium score