A member asked:

R.d.w=18.2% ,whats meaning or caused?

3 doctors weighed in across 2 answers
Dr. Roy Arnold answered

Specializes in Internal Medicine

Nonspecific finding: An increased RDW indicates the presence of increased variability in red cell size. An increased RDW is commonly found when there is a nutritional deficiency (eg, iron, folate, (folic acid) and vitamin B12), resulting in variability in red cell endowment and, therefore, size. However, the finding of an increased RDW is not specific for any one abnormality. Thanks for trusting HealthTap!

Answered 2/1/2019

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Dr. Le Wang answered

Specializes in Internal Medicine

R.D.W: Do you mean red blood cell distribution width (RDW) ?. RDW = standard deviation of RBC size / mean RBC volume x 100. Normal is 11 - 14.5%. Common cause for high RDW is nutritional deficiency such as iron deficiency or B12/folate deficiency. High RDW can also be seen in patients with chronic kidney or liver disease or acute blood loss.

Answered 2/1/2019

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