Blood cell size may reveal COVID-19 severity in ICU patients
NCT ID NCT07244731
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This completed study from Ankara University looked at 146 severe COVID-19 patients in the ICU. Researchers measured red blood cell distribution width (RDW), a marker of variation in red blood cell size, to see if it could predict whether patients would need a breathing tube or die. The goal was to find a simple, inexpensive tool to help doctors make better decisions in the ICU.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could help doctors use a simple blood test to predict which COVID-19 patients in the ICU are at higher risk of death or needing a breathing tube.
- What could go wrong
- This is an observational study, not a treatment trial. It only shows a possible link, not cause and effect. The results may not apply to all COVID-19 patients.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Ankara University
Ankara, Ankara, 06340, Turkey (Türkiye)
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