Association between the Red Cell Distribution Width and Vasospastic Angina in Korean Patients

• Published in: Yonsei medical journal Vol. 57; no. 3; pp. 614 - 620
• Main Authors: Jung, Mi-Hyang, Shin, Dong Il, Choi, Ik Jun, Seo, Suk Min, Choi, Sooa, Park, Mahn Won, Kim, Pum-Joon, Baek, Sang Hong, Seung, Ki-Bae
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Korea (South) Yonsei University College of Medicine 01.05.2016; 연세대학교의과대학
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Angina Pectoris - blood; Angina Pectoris - ethnology; Coronary Angiography - methods; Coronary Vasospasm - blood; Coronary Vasospasm - ethnology; Erythrocyte Indices - physiology; Female; Humans; Incidence; Male; Middle Aged; Original; Prevalence; Proportional Hazards Models; Republic of Korea - epidemiology; 의학일반; coronary vasospasm; variant; Angina pectoris; erythrocyte indices
• ISSN: 0513-5796; 1976-2437; 1976-2437
• DOI: 10.3349/ymj.2016.57.3.614

The association between the red cell distribution width (RDW) and vasospastic angina (VSA) has not been elucidated. We investigated the association of the RDW with the incidence and angiographic subtypes of VSA in Korean patients. A total of 460 patients who underwent intracoronary ergonovine provocation tests were consecutively enrolled and classified into two groups: the VSA group (n=147, 32.0%) and non-VSA group (n=313, 68.0%). The subjects were classified into 3 subgroups (tertiles) according to the baseline level of RDW assessed before the angiographic provocation test. The VSA group had a higher RDW than the non-VSA group (12.9±0.8% vs. 12.5±0.7%, p=0.013). The high RDW level demonstrated an independent association with the high incidence of VSA [second tertile: hazard ratio (HR) 1.96 (1.13-2.83), third tertile: HR 2.33 (1.22-3.47), all p<0.001]. Moreover, the highest RDW tertile level had a significant association with the prevalence of the mixed-type coronary spasm [HR 1.29 (1.03-1.59), p=0.037]. The high level of RDW was significantly associated with the prevalence of VSA and the high-risk angiographic subtype of coronary spasm, suggesting that a proactive clinical investigation for VSA could be valuable in Korean patients with an elevated RDW.