Changes in Red Blood Cell Distribution Width in Very Low Birth Weight Infants for Predicting Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia

It is unknown whether RDW can be used to predict the severity and prognosis of various diseases in children, especially newborns. This study aimed to investigate the RDW values of preterm infants born at < 30 weeks’ gestation with a birth weight < 1500 g and evaluate whether the RDW values in the early days of life can predict bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) development. The mean RDW values on day 1 (D1), day 7 (D7), and day 28 (D28) after birth were 16.2 ± 1.4%, 17.5 ± 2.4%, and 17.6 ± 1.7%, respectively. The RDW at birth was lower in the infants born at < 28 weeks’ gestational age than in those born at ≥ 28 weeks’ gestational age (15.7 ± 0.8 vs 16.4 ± 1.5, P = 0.003). The RDW values of both groups increased during the first week after birth and did not differ significantly. The levels remained similar levels at 1 month of life. The RDW values examined at D1, D7, D28 and the changes of RDW from D1 to D7 were not correlated with the development of BPD independent of severity. The usefulness of RDW as a predictor of BPD development remains questionable and requires further study.