What does red cell distribution width (RDW) coefficient of variation mean?
Disease description:
I went to the hospital yesterday for a routine blood test, and one of the items was red blood cell distribution width. I would like to ask what the coefficient of variation of red blood cell distribution width means?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Liu Feng
Red cell distribution width (RDW) is a hematological test parameter used to describe the heterogeneity of red blood cell volume in peripheral blood. Red cell distribution width coefficient of variation (RDW-CV) is one way to express RDW, representing the degree of dispersion of red blood cell volume as a percentage, specifically the ratio of the standard deviation of red blood cell volume to the mean red blood cell volume. Its primary significance includes:
1. Anemia diagnosis: RDW-CV is an important parameter for evaluating the morphological variability of red blood cells. When the RDW value is elevated, it indicates increased variation in red blood cell size, which may be associated with various types of anemia, such as megaloblastic anemia and iron deficiency anemia.
2. Health assessment: In healthy individuals, RDW values are typically low, indicating a relatively uniform distribution of red blood cell volume. Abnormally elevated RDW values may suggest the presence of certain diseases or changes in health status.
If abnormal red cell distribution width coefficient of variation is detected, prompt medical consultation is recommended.
