TNF and alkaline phosphatase measurement: In people with AP, an increase in some inflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin-1 and interleukin-6 due to sepsis, have been shown to contribute to RDW elevation by reducing RBC survival and maturation in the bone marrow, increasing the release of newer and larger reticulocytes in the peripheral blood [19,20,42].