THE RATIO of red blood cell distribution width to albumin concentration (RAR) has been studied for its association with mortality in the general population, according to recent research. Prior to this study, the link between RAR and mortality in the general population was unknown. The researchers explored this association using data from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) and the UK Biobank.
The study consisted of 469,572 participants, with 44,383 deaths recorded during the follow-up periods. The NHANES data were linked to the National Death Index records, while the UK Biobank data were linked to the National Health Service records. In NHANES, higher RAR levels were associated with increased risk of all-cause mortality (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.83; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.76-1.90) and disease-specific causes of mortality: malignant neoplasm (HR: 1.89; 95% CI: 1.73-2.07), heart disease (HR: 1.88; 95% CI: 1.74-2.03), cerebrovascular disease (HR: 1.35; 95% CI: 1.07-1.69), respiratory disease (HR: 1.99; 95% CI: 1.68-2.35), Alzheimer disease (HR: 1.33; 95% CI: 0.98-1.81), diabetes (HR: 1.55; 95% CI: 1.27-1.90), and other causes of mortality (HR: 1.97; 95% CI: 1.86-2.08). In the UK Biobank, similar associations were found between RAR levels and all-cause mortality (HR: 2.08; 95% CI: 2.03-2.13) and disease-specific causes of mortality: malignant neoplasm (HR: 1.93; 95% CI: 1.86-2.00), heart disease (HR: 2.42; 95% CI: 2.29-2.57), cerebrovascular disease (HR: 2.15; 95% CI: 1.91-2.42), respiratory disease (HR: 2.96; 95% CI: 2.78-3.15), diabetes (HR: 2.83; 95% CI: 2.35-3.40), and other causes of mortality (HR: 2.40; 95% CI: 2.30-2.50).
In conclusion, the study found that a higher baseline RAR was associated with an increased risk of all-cause and cause-specific mortality in the general population. These findings indicate that RAR could be a valuable biomarker for predicting mortality, offering a practical tool for clinical settings for early detection and management of individuals at high risk of mortality.
Katrina Thornber, EMJ
Reference
Hao M et al. Ratio of red blood cell distribution width to albumin level and risk of mortality. JAMA Netw Open. 2024;7(5):e2413213.
