DR.S. SABEENA,DR.VENKATRAGHAVAN. ATM,DR. ANUSUYA
DOI: https://doi.org/Background:
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), thatinvolves“UC (Ulcerative Colitis)” and “CD (Crohn’s Disease)”, is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the gastrointestinal tract. Laboratory indicators, including “C-reactive protein (CRP)”, “ESR (Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate)”, and haemoglobin (Hb), are essential for assessing disease activity. Recent research indicates that “RDW (Red Cell Distribution Width)”, a metric of erythrocyte size variability, may function as an auxiliary inflammatory marker in IBD. This study assesses the correlation between RDW and disease activity in patients with IBD.
Methods:
This retrospective analysis encompassed 120 patients with IBD (90 with UC and 30 with CD), classified as per the disease activity and anaemia status. Laboratory data, including RDW, CRP, ESR, platelet count (PLT), and haemoglobin levels, were evaluated. Statistical analyses, such as “Student's t-test”, “Pearson correlation”, and “chi-square test”, had been performed, with p < 0.05 that indicate significance
Results:
RDW levels were markedly elevated in active IBD vs to remission (p = 0.048). Anaemic IBD patients exhibited elevated levels of RDW, CRP, ESR, and PLT in comparison to non-anaemic patients (p < 0.001 for all indicators). The data indicate a strong relationship between RDW and inflammation in IBD, underscoring its potential as a cost-effective index of disease activity.
Conclusion:
RDW is significantly associated with IBD activity and anemia status, making it a potential adjunctive biomarker for disease monitoring. Given its availability in routine blood tests, RDW could be a valuable tool for predicting disease flares and assessing treatment response. Additional prospective studies are needed to corroborate these outcomes.
