Investigating the association between the severity of acute pancreatitis and red blood cell distribution width and platelet distribution width in patients diagnosed with acute pancreatitis referred to Imam Khomeini Hospital in Ahvaz from 2018 to 2021.

Introduction and aim: Acute pancreatitis (AP) is an inflammatory disease that causes significant morbidity and mortality. Red blood cell distribution width (RDW) and platelet distribution width (PDW) are commonly used and easily measurable indicators that provide valuable information about an individual's inflammatory condition. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic value of RDW and PDW in comparison with other scoring systems for predicting the severity of AP.

Method: The present study with a retrospective cross-sectional design was conducted on 115 patients admitted to Imam Khomeini Hospital in Ahvaz from 2018 to 2021. The variables that were measured included demographic characteristics, comorbidities, hospitalization, laboratory parameters, prognostic scoring systems (Ranson and bedside index for severity in acute pancreatitis (BISAP)), and mortality rates. A comparison was made between various parameters in patients diagnosed with mild and severe AP. The prognostic value of RDW and PDW in determining the severity of AP was determined using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve.

Results: Severe AP patients exhibited higher Ranson and BISAP scores (P < 0.01) and experienced a longer duration of hospital stay (P < 0.01) compared with AP patients. PDW was found to be significantly elevated in AP patients compared to those with mild AP (17.77 ± 25.11 vs. 14.8 ± 1.67; P = 0.02). There were no statistically significant differences in the RDW in mild and severe AP patients (14.0 ± 3.59 versus 14.19 ± 5.9; P = 0.90).

Conclusion: The findings of the study suggest that utilizing PDW as an indicator of inflammation can serve as a valuable approach to evaluating the progression of AP. However, RDW does not offer significant assistance in the early prediction of AP severity. Nonetheless, it is crucial to conduct future prospective studies with larger sample sizes, including all pancreatitis cases.