To determine the association of red cell distribution width (RDW) at admission with frequency of acute kidney injury (AKI) and 28-day mortality in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) patients. Methods: Two hundred fifty-eight ARDS patients were investigated in retrospective and prospective studies. The primary outcome was frequency of AKI. The secondary outcome was 28-day mortality. Results: The retrospective study included 193 ARDS patients, of which 67 (34.7%) were confirmed AKI and 76 (39.4%) died within 28 days. The RDW level in the AKI group was significantly higher than in the non-AKI group ([15.15 AE 2.59]% vs. [13.95 AE 1.89]%). Increased RDW was a significant predictor of frequency of AKI (odds ratio: 1.247, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.044, 1.489). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of RDW for predicting AKI was 0.687 (95%CI: 0.610, 0.764) and the cut-off value was 14.45 (sensitivity, 56.7%; specificity, 72.8%). In addition, the proportion of patients with RDW ! 14.45% in the non-survival group was notably higher compared with the survival group (48.7% vs. 29.1%). Furthermore, cox regression analysis revealed that RDW ! 14.45% was associated with 28-day mortality (hazard ratio: 1.817, 95%CI: 1.046, 3.158), while Kaplan-Meier analysis showed patients with RDW ! 14.45% had a significantly lower survival rate than those with RDW < 14.45%. The prospective study, on the other hand, included 65 ARDS patients, with frequency of AKI and 28-day mortality in the RDW ! 14.45% group significantly higher than in RDW < 14.45%. Conclusion: RDW was a significant, independent predictor for frequency of AKI and 28-day mortality in ARDS patients. KEYWORDS-Acute kidney injury, acute respiratory distress syndrome, mortality, red cell distribution width ABBREVIATIONS-AKI-acute kidney injury; APACHE II-acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II; ARDSacute respiratory distress syndrome; AUC-area under curve; BUN-blood urea nitrogen; CI-confidence interval; COPD-chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; CRP-C-reactive protein; CRRT-continuous renal replacement therapy; eGFR-estimated glomerular filtration rate; EICU-emergency intensive care unit; HRs-hazard ratios; ICUintensive care units; IMV-invasive mechanical ventilation; IQR-interquartile ranges; KDIGO-kidney disease improving global outcomes; LR-likelihood ratio; NLR-neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio; OR-odds ratio; PaO 2 /FiO 2 -partial pressure of arterial oxygen to the fraction of inspired oxygen; PCT-procalcitonin; RDW-red cell volume distribution width; ROCreceiver operating characteristic curve; SCr-serum creatinine; SD-standard deviation; SOFA-sequential organ failure assessment; UA-uric acid; WBC-white blood cell