Predictive Value of RDW and RCI Indices in Pulmonary Embolism: Insights from Breast Cancer, Lung Cancer, and Non-Cancer Patients.

Background/AimVenous thromboembolism (VTE), commonly manifesting as deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or pulmonary embolism (PE), ranks as the third most prevalent cardiovascular condition. Red cell distribution width (RDW) and red cell index (RCI)-both derived from complete blood count (CBC) parameters-have been linked to prognosis and mortality in PE. This study aimed to assess the predictive and prognostic value of RDW and RCI in PE patients, and to compare these markers between those with breast or lung cancer and those without malignancy.Material and methodsA total of 133 patients diagnosed with PE between 2020 and 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. Among them, 81 had no malignancy, 33 had concurrent lung cancer, and 19 had breast cancer. RDW and RCI values were obtained from initial complete blood counts. RCI was calculated using hemoglobin, red blood cell, lymphocyte, and platelet counts. Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests were used for statistical analysis.ResultsRDW values were significantly higher in patients with lung or breast cancer compared to those without malignancy (p < 0.001 for both). No statistically significant differences were found in RCI values among the groups (p = 0.073). Additionally, no significant differences in RDW or RCI were observed according to mortality status within any group.ConclusionRDW was found to be significantly elevated in malignancy-associated PE and may serve as a useful predictive marker. However, the prognostic utility of RDW and RCI in relation to mortality was limited in all groups.