Red Cell Distribution Width Predicts Mortality in Critically Ill Patients with COPD and Atrial Fibrillation: A Retrospective Cohort Study.
B, X., H, T., YF, Z., PF, L., J, W., & XJ, C. (2026). Red Cell Distribution Width Predicts Mortality in Critically Ill Patients with COPD and Atrial Fibrillation: A Retrospective Cohort Study.. International journal of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. https://doi.org/10.2147/COPD.S611640
B X, H T, YF Z, PF L, J W, XJ C. Red Cell Distribution Width Predicts Mortality in Critically Ill Patients with COPD and Atrial Fibrillation: A Retrospective Cohort Study.. International journal of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. 2026; doi: 10.2147/COPD.S611640
B X, H T, YF Z, et al. Red Cell Distribution Width Predicts Mortality in Critically Ill Patients with COPD and Atrial Fibrillation: A Retrospective Cohort Study.[J]. International journal of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. 2026. DOI: 10.2147/COPD.S611640.
@article{b2026,
author = {Xie B and Teng H and Zhou YF and Li PF and Wang J and Cui XJ},
title = {Red Cell Distribution Width Predicts Mortality in Critically Ill Patients with COPD and Atrial Fibrillation: A Retrospective Cohort Study.},
journal = {International journal of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease},
year = {2026},
doi = {10.2147/COPD.S611640},
note = {PMID: 42634816},
}
TY - JOUR AU - Xie B AU - Teng H AU - Zhou YF AU - Li PF AU - Wang J AU - Cui XJ TI - Red Cell Distribution Width Predicts Mortality in Critically Ill Patients with COPD and Atrial Fibrillation: A Retrospective Cohort Study. T2 - International journal of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease PY - 2026 DO - 10.2147/COPD.S611640 AN - PMID:42634816 ER -
BACKGROUND: Critically ill patients with COPD and atrial fibrillation (AF) face a substantially poor prognosis. Given the established prognostic value of red cell distribution width (RDW) in each condition alone, we sought to systematically evaluate its utility for mortality prediction in this population. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study utilized data from the MIMIC-IV database. Adult ICU patients with concurrent COPD and AF were enrolled. The association between baseline RDW (analyzed both as a continuous variable and in quartiles) and the primary outcome of in-hospital mortality was assessed using multivariable logistic regression, with extensive adjustment for demographics, severity of illness, comorbidities, and treatments. Secondary outcomes included ICU, 28-day, 90-day, and 1-year all-cause mortality. RESULTS: Among 1,252 eligible patients, a significant graded association was observed between RDW and in-hospital mortality (P for trend < 0.001). After full adjustment, each standard deviation increase in RDW was associated with a 13% rise in the odds of in-hospital death (adjusted OR 1.13, 95% CI 1.05-1.21). Patients in the highest RDW quartile had a 2.53-fold increased risk (adjusted OR 2.53, 95% CI 1.36-4.73) compared to the lowest quartile. This robust association was consistently observed for all secondary outcomes, with the risk of ICU, 28-day, 90-day, and 1-year mortality also showing significant, graded increases across RDW quartiles in the fully adjusted models (all P for trend < 0.01). Furthermore, the association remained stable across all predefined subgroup analyses. CONCLUSION: In critically ill patients with COPD and AF, elevated baseline RDW at ICU admission is independently associated with increased short- and long-term mortality, with a graded risk increase across RDW quartiles. As a non-specific, routinely available hematologic parameter, RDW may serve as an adjunctive marker for risk stratification in this vulnerable population.