Clinical correlates of the Haemoglobin to Red Cell Distribution Width ratio in bacterial bloodstream infections and concomitant kidney dysfunction.
9 affiliations
- 1Department of Cardiovascular Science and Metabolic Diseases, Livingstone Center for Prevention and Translational Science, Livingstone, 10101, Zambia. [email protected].
- 2HAND Research Group, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Mulungushi University, Livingstone, 10101, Zambia. [email protected].
- 3Department of Cardiovascular Science and Metabolic Diseases, Livingstone Center for Prevention and Translational Science, Livingstone, 10101, Zambia.
- 4HAND Research Group, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Mulungushi University, Livingstone, 10101, Zambia.
- 5Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chikankata College of Biomedical Sciences, Mazabuka, Zambia.
- 6School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Lusaka, Lusaka, Lusaka Province, Zambia.
- 7Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ndola College of Biomedical Sciences, Ndola, Zambia.
- 8Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.
- 9Vanderbilt Institute for Global Health, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.
Abstract
Objective
The Haemoglobin-to-Red Cell Distribution Width ratio (Hb/RDW) is an emerging marker of inflammation and clinical risk, but its correlates in patients with bacterial bloodstream infections and kidney dysfunction remain poorly defined in low-resource settings. This study aimed to determine the clinical and laboratory correlates of the Hb/RDW ratio in patients with bacterial bloodstream infections and concomitant kidney dysfunction at Ndola Teaching Hospital, Ndola Zambia.Results
A total of 136 patients were included, with a median age in the older adult range; 44.9% were ≥ 60 years. Females comprised 52.9% of the cohort. Gram-negative bacteria predominated, particularly Enterobacter agglomerans (19.8%) and Escherichia coli (10.2%), while Staphylococcus aureus (18.3%) was the most common Gram-positive isolate. Multidrug-resistant organisms accounted for 61.8% of infections, as determined by antimicrobial susceptibility testing and classified according to the standard consensus definition. In multivariable analysis, male sex was associated with lower Hb/RDW (β = -0.092, p = 0.020), and higher eGFR was associated with higher Hb/RDW (β = 0.003, p = 0.049). Other hematological and biochemical parameters showed no independent association. Hb/RDW was independently associated with sex and renal function, suggesting its potential as a simple biomarker. Further studies are needed to confirm its prognostic and clinical utility.
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BibTeX
@article{nzobokela2026clinical,
title = {{Clinical correlates of the Haemoglobin to Red Cell Distribution Width ratio in bacterial bloodstream infections and concomitant kidney dysfunction.}},
author = {John Nzobokela and David Chisompola and Jay Chibinga and Kesaobaka Batisani and Alick Mwambungu and Sepiso K Masenga},
journal = {BMC research notes},
year = {2026},
month = aug,
doi = {10.1186/s13104-026-07964-7},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42958350},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Clinical correlates of the Haemoglobin to Red Cell Distribution Width ratio in bacterial bloodstream infections and concomitant kidney dysfunction.
AU - John Nzobokela
AU - David Chisompola
AU - Jay Chibinga
AU - Kesaobaka Batisani
AU - Alick Mwambungu
AU - Sepiso K Masenga
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/08/01
JO - BMC research notes
DO - 10.1186/s13104-026-07964-7
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42958350
AB - Objective The Haemoglobin-to-Red Cell Distribution Width ratio (Hb/RDW) is an emerging marker of inflammation and clinical risk, but its correlates in patients with bacterial bloodstream infections and kidney dysfunction remain poorly defined in low-resource settings. This study aimed to determine the clinical and laboratory correlates of the Hb/RDW ratio in patients with bacterial bloodstream infections and concomitant kidney dysfunction at Ndola Teaching Hospital, Ndola Zambia.Results A total of 136 patients were included, with a median age in the older adult range; 44.9% were ≥ 60 years. Females comprised 52.9% of the cohort. Gram-negative bacteria predominated, particularly Enterobacter agglomerans (19.8%) and Escherichia coli (10.2%), while Staphylococcus aureus (18.3%) was the most common Gram-positive isolate. Multidrug-resistant organisms accounted for 61.8% of infections, as determined by antimicrobial susceptibility testing and classified according to the standard consensus definition. In multivariable analysis, male sex was associated with lower Hb/RDW (β = -0.092, p = 0.020), and higher eGFR was associated with higher Hb/RDW (β = 0.003, p = 0.049). Other hematological and biochemical parameters showed no independent association. Hb/RDW was independently associated with sex and renal function, suggesting its potential as a simple biomarker. Further studies are needed to confirm its prognostic and clinical utility.
SN - 1756-0500
ER -