Red cell distribution width related to the severity of the disease in patients with AECOPD

This research aims to elucidate the association between red cell distribution width (RDW) and the severity of acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD). This retrospective study enrolled patients with AECOPD and healthy controls. A comprehensive meta-analysis was further conducted by systematically searching PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library up to 27 April 2023. Univariate logistic regression analysis indicated that elevated RDW levels were significantly associated with AECOPD (p = 0.016). The pooled results yielded a diagnostic sensitivity of 0.76 (95% CI: 0.70–0.81) and specificity of 0.53 (95% CI: 0.38–0.68) for RDW in predicting AECOPD severity. Elevated RDW levels exhibit a linear positive correlation with AECOPD severity, further supported by meta-analysis.