Relationship between red blood cell distribution width-to-albumin ratio and outcome of septic patients with atrial fibrillation: a retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND: This retrospective cohort study aimed to investigate the association between red blood cell distribution width-to-albumin ratio (RAR) and in-hospital mortality in patients with sepsis and atrial fibrillation (AF). METHODS: Data were obtained from the Medical Information Mart for the Intensive Care Database IV database version 1.0. Multivariate Cox regression models, curve-fitting, and Kaplan–Meier analyses were performed to determine the correlation between RAR and in-hospital mortality in patients with sepsis and AF. RESULTS: This study included 3042 patients with sepsis and AF. Confounding variables were adjusted for in the Multivariable Cox regression analysis models. RAR was independently associated with in-hospital mortality (hazard ratio 1.06; 95% confidence interval 1.03–1.08; p < 0.001). A linear relationship was found between the RAR and in-hospital mortality in patients with sepsis and AF. CONCLUSION: Elevated RAR levels are associated with increased in-hospital mortality in patients with sepsis and AF. Further research is required to confirm this association. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12872-022-02975-1.