Abstract:  Objective To observe changes of red blood cell distribution width (RDW) and trace albumin urine (MAU) in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) and to explore the relationship between them and cardiac function classification. Methods A total of 190 patients with CHF were divided into mild group (NYHA grade II), moderate group (NYHA grade Ⅲ) and severe group (NYHA grade Ⅳ), according to the grade of cardiac function. A total of 100 subjects with normal physi⁃ cal examination during the same period were selected as the control group. The changes of MAU, urinary creatinine (Scr) ra⁃ tio (UACR), RDW, Scr, hemoglobin (Hb), type B urine sodium titanium (BNP) and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF)were compared between four groups. The correlation between UACR, RDW, Scr, Hb, BNP and LVEF were analyzed. Re⁃ sults The levels of RDW, Scr, BNP, hypersensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP), LVEDd, LVM, LVMI and UACR were sig⁃ nificantly higher in chronic heart failure group than those of control, showing a trend of increase gradually with the rising of heart function classification (P < 0.05). The values of Hb and LVEF showed a gradually decreasing trend with the increased heart function classification (P < 0.05). The values of UACR and RDW showed a gradually increasing trend with the in⁃ creased heart function classification (P < 0.05). There was a positive correlation between UACR and RDW, and both had a positive correlation with BNP, and a negative correlation with LVEF and Hb(P < 0.05). Conclusion RDW and MAU are re⁃ lated to the cardiac function classification, and both can be used for the evaluation of the prognosis in patients with CHF.

Key words: heart failure, chronic disease , prognosis , diagnostic techniques, cardiovascular , red blood cell distribu? tion width, trace albumin urine