What Does High Rdw Mean?

I am not a doctor and I strongly suggest that you go over your results with your doctor. Also, I would suggest that you ask your doctor for further bloodwork.

There are many things that can cause a high RDW. You would need to analyze the other results on your CBC to determine the specific cause.

Here is an extensive list of conditons that can be indicated by a high RDW. But, really you can't determine which is causing your RDW level without having a trained professional analyze all of the other results.

Neoplastic Disorders
Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia CLL

Allergic, Collagen, Auto-Immune Disorders
Hemolytic anemia, autoimmune
Anemia, cryopathic autoimmune
Cold autoimmune hemolytic anemia
Celiac disease of childhood
Atypical Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome

Deficiency Disorders
Folic acid deficiency anemia
Iron deficiency anemia
Vitamin B12 deficiency

Hereditary, Familial, Genetic Disorders
Sickle cell/thalassemia disease
Thalassemia major
Sickle cell anemia
Spherocytosis, hereditary
Hemoglobin H disease
Thalassemia-hemoglobin C disease

Reference to Organ System
Anemia, blood loss
Anemia of chronic disease
Chronic liver disease
Megaloblastic anemia
Hemolytic-uremic syndrome
Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura
Cold agglutinin, circulating
Sideroblastic Anemia Siderochrestic
Hemolytic Anemia

Pathophysiologic
Microangiopathic anemia/hemolytic
Anemia, under therapy

Please do not become distressed over any of the possible causes listed here. Most often a high RDW will have a minor cause. I hope that this helps.

In hematology/medicine, the RDW is the red cell distribution width, while the RDW-SD (red cell distribution width - standard deviation) is a direct measurement of the RDW at a certain level. These are measurements of the size of the red blood cell.

Typically, a high RDW is seen in early iron deficiency. The RDW is useful to differentiate iron deficiency anemia from other types of anemia. Other medical problems and medications can also influence the RDW values.

I am not a doctor and I would strongly suggest that you discuss your bloodwork results with your doctor. Also, I would suggest asking for further bloodwork.

A high RDW can have quite a few different causes. Please do not be distressed by some of the possibilties as the cause is usually very mild.

Neoplastic Disorders
Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia CLL

Allergic, Collagen, Auto-Immune Disorders
Hemolytic anemia, autoimmune
Anemia, cryopathic autoimmune
Cold autoimmune hemolytic anemia
Celiac disease of childhood
Atypical Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome

Deficiency Disorders
Folic acid deficiency anemia
Iron deficiency anemia
Vitamin B12 deficiency

Hereditary, Familial, Genetic Disorders
Sickle cell/thalassemia disease
Thalassemia major
Sickle cell anemia
Spherocytosis, hereditary
Hemoglobin H disease
Thalassemia-hemoglobin C disease

Reference to Organ System
Anemia, blood loss
Anemia of chronic disease
Chronic liver disease
Megaloblastic anemia
Hemolytic-uremic syndrome
Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura
Cold agglutinin, circulating
Sideroblastic Anemia Siderochrestic
Hemolytic Anemia

Pathophysiologic
Microangiopathic anemia/hemolytic
Anemia, under therapy

With more data from your CBC and further more detailed tests you can narrow down the cause. I hope this helps.

That is the question I need answer to.  Our son's rdw is always high and his hemo is always low.    He has survived esophageal cancer treatment and surgery (now has a leak and is still hospitalized--two months this time) and I wonder if it is vitamin deficiency or what?

What does an high RDW (sd), high MCV, high MCHC mean?

It is often related to iron deficiency.