Health Encyclopedia

Home | List of Topics | Cancer | Hematology

Anemia of chronic disease

Definition

Anemia of chronic disease is a blood disorder that results from a medical condition that affects the production and lifespan of red blood cells.

See also: Anemia

Alternative Names

Anemia of inflammation

Causes, incidence, and risk factors

Anemia is a condition where there is a lower than normal number of red blood cells in the blood. Certain chronic infections and inflammatory diseases can affect red blood cells.

Conditions associated with the anemia of chronic disease include:

• Cancer
• Chronic bacterial endocarditis
• Osteomyelitis
• Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis
• Rheumatic fever
• Crohn's disease
• Ulcerative colitis

Chronic renal failure may produce a similar anemia because it causes reduced levels of erythropoietin, the hormone that stimulates the production of red blood cells in the bone marrow.

Symptoms

Symptoms may go unnoticed when there is another disease present. Possible symptoms include:

• Chest pain
• Shortness of breath
• Tiredness

Signs and tests

The doctor will perform a physical examination. Anemia can be confirmed by a red blood count or hemoglobin level.

Treatment

This type of anemia responds to treatment of the primary disease. It is rarely severe enough to require blood transfusion.

Expectations (prognosis)

With successful treatment of the primary disease, the anemia will go away.

Complications

Discomfort from symptoms is the primary complication of most cases.

Calling your health care provider

Call for an appointment with your health care provider if you have a chronic disorder and you develop symptoms of anemia.

Review Date:2/6/2007
Reviewed By:William Matsui, MD, Assistant Professor of Oncology, Division of Hematologic Malignancies, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, MD. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is the first of its kind, requiring compliance with 53 standards of quality and accountability, verified by independent audit. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial process. A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics (www.hiethics.com) and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).

The Agency for Health Care Administration (Agency) and this website do not claim the information on, or referred to by, this site is error free. This site may include links to websites of other government agencies or private groups. Our Agency and this website do not control such sites and are not responsible for their content. Reference to or links to any other group, product, service, or information does not mean our Agency or this website approves of that group, product, service, or information.

Additionally, while health information provided through this website may be a valuable resource for the public, it is not designed to offer medical advice. Talk with your doctor about medical care questions you may have.