Zainab Ilyas

· 09 Nov 2021

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What is RDW in blood test?

The red cell distribution width (RDW) blood test determines how much red blood cell volume and size vary.
Red blood cells are responsible for transporting oxygen from your lungs to every region of your body. Any deviation from the usual range in red blood cell width or volume suggests a potential problem with biological function, which might disrupt oxygen delivery to different portions of your body.
However, you may still have a normal RDW if you have certain conditions.
The diameter of normal red blood cells is between 6 and 8 micrometers (m). If the variety of sizes is large, your RDW will be higher.

This implies that if your RBCs are tiny on average, but you have a large number of extremely small cells, your RDW will be high. Similarly, if your RBCs are large on average but you have a large number of really large cells, your RDW will be high.

As a result, when assessing a complete blood count, RDW is not employed as a stand-alone measure (CBC). In the context of hemoglobin (hgb) and mean corpuscular value, it instead gives shades of meaning (MCV).
You may have a vitamin shortage, anemia, or some underlying issue if your RDW is high.

Why is the RDW test done?

The RDW test is used to identify several kinds of anemia as well as other medical disorders, such as:
•    thalassemia’s, genetic blood abnormalities that can result in severe anemia
•    diabetes mellitus is a kind of diabetes.
•    illness of the heart
•    liver ailment
•    cancer
•    This test is frequently done as part of a complete blood count (CBC) (CBC).

The CBC identifies the kinds and numbers of blood cells, as well as other blood properties such as platelet, red blood cell, and white blood cell counts.
These tests are used to assess your overall health and, in certain situations, to identify infection or other disorders.

Doctors may use the RDW test as part of a complete blood count (CBC) if you have:

•    Symptoms of anemia include dizziness, pale skin, and numbness.
•    a vitamin or iron deficit

•    a blood ailment in the family, such as sickle cell anemia

•    a considerable amount of blood has been lost as a result of surgery or trauma

•    an illness that damages red blood cells has been discovered

•    a long-term sickness like HIV or AIDS

How do you prepare for the test?

Depending on what other blood tests your doctor has ordered, you may be advised to fast before an RDW blood test. Before your test, your doctor will give you any particular instructions.
The test itself is only 5 minutes long. Your blood will be drawn from a vein and stored in a tube by a healthcare practitioner.
The needle is withdrawn when the tube has been filled with blood sample, and pressure and a tiny bandage are placed to the entrance site to assist stop the bleeding. Your blood sample will then be submitted to a facility for analysis.
If the injection site bleeding lasts more than a few hours, see a doctor right once.

How are the RDW results interpreted?

The usual range for red cell distribution width in adult females is 12.2 to 16.1 percent, while in adult males it is 11.8 to 14.5 percent. If your score falls outside of this range, you may be suffering from a vitamin shortage, illness, or another ailment.
You might have a medical problem even though your RDW levels are normal.
Your doctor will need to combine the findings of additional blood tests, such as the mean corpuscular volume (MCV) test, which is also part of a CBC, to make an appropriate diagnosis and treatment suggestion.
RDW findings can assist define the kind of anemia you have, in addition to confirming a diagnosis when paired with additional testing.

High results

If your RDW is excessively high, it may indicate a nutritional shortage, such as an iron, folate, or vitamin B-12 insufficiency.
These findings might potentially indicate macrocytic anemia, which occurs when your body does not make enough normal red blood cells and those that do are bigger than normal. This might be caused by a lack of folate or vitamin B-12.

You may also have microcytic anemia, which is characterized by a lack of normal red blood cells and smaller-than-normal red blood cells. Microcytic anemia is frequently caused by iron deficient anemia.
Your healthcare professional will do a CBC test and compare the RDW and MCV test parts to determine your red blood cell volume to assist identify these disorders.
Some macrocytic anemias have a high MCV but a low RDW. Microcytic anemias have a low MCV but a high RDW.

Normal results

You may develop anemia as a result of a chronic condition, such as chronic renal disease, if your RDW is normal but your MCV is low.

You may have aplastic anemia if your RDW is normal, but your MCV is high. This is a blood condition in which the bone marrow fails to create enough blood cells, particularly red blood cells.

Low results

There are no hematologic abnormalities that are related with a low RDW result.
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