Anemia of chronic disease
Anemia of inflammation; Inflammatory anemia; AOCD; ACD; Anemia of chronic inflammationAnemia is a condition in which the body does not have enough healthy red blood cells. Red blood cells provide oxygen to body tissues. There are many types of anemia.
Anemia
Anemia is a condition in which the body does not have enough healthy red blood cells. Red blood cells provide oxygen to body tissues. Different type...
Anemia of chronic disease (ACD) is anemia that is found in people with certain long-term (chronic) medical conditions that involve inflammation.
Causes
Anemia is a lower-than-normal number of red blood cells in the blood. ACD is a common cause of anemia. Some conditions that can lead to ACD include:
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Autoimmune disorders, such as Crohn disease, systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, and ulcerative colitis
Autoimmune disorders
An autoimmune disorder occurs when the body's immune system attacks and destroys healthy body tissue by mistake. There are more than 80 autoimmune d...
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleCrohn disease
Crohn disease is a disease where parts of the digestive tract become inflamed. It most often involves the lower end of the small intestine and the be...
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleSystemic lupus erythematosus
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease. In this disease, the immune system of the body mistakenly attacks healthy tissue. It c...
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleRheumatoid arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a disease that leads to inflammation of the joints and surrounding tissues. It is a long-term disease. It can also aff...
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleUlcerative colitis
Ulcerative colitis is a condition in which the lining of the large intestine (colon) and rectum become inflamed. It is a form of inflammatory bowel ...
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Cancer, including lymphoma and Hodgkin disease
Cancer
Cancer is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the body. Cancerous cells are also called malignant cells.
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleHodgkin disease
Hodgkin lymphoma is a cancer of lymph tissue. Lymph tissue is found in the lymph nodes, spleen, liver, bone marrow, and other sites.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Long-term infections, such as bacterial endocarditis, osteomyelitis (bone infection), HIV/AIDS, lung abscess, hepatitis B or hepatitis C
Endocarditis
Endocarditis is inflammation of the inside lining of the heart chambers and heart valves (endocardium). It is caused by a bacterial or, rarely, a fu...
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleOsteomyelitis
Osteomyelitis is a bone infection. It is caused by bacteria or other germs.
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleHIV/AIDS
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is the virus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). When a person becomes infected with HIV, the ...
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleHepatitis B
Hepatitis B is irritation and swelling (inflammation) of the liver due to infection with the hepatitis B virus (HBV). Other types of viral hepatitis ...
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleHepatitis C
Hepatitis C is a viral disease that leads to swelling (inflammation) of the liver. Other types of viral hepatitis include:Hepatitis AHepatitis BHepat...
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Symptoms
Anemia of chronic disease is often mild. You may not notice any symptoms.
When symptoms occur, they may include:
- Feeling weak or tired
-
Headache
Headache
A headache is pain or discomfort in the head, scalp, or neck. Serious causes of headaches are rare. Most people with headaches can feel much better...
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- Shortness of breath
Exams and Tests
Your health care provider will perform a physical exam.
Anemia may be the first symptom of a serious illness, so finding its cause is very important.
Tests that may be done to diagnose anemia or rule out other causes include:
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Complete blood count (CBC)
Complete blood count
A complete blood count (CBC) test measures the following:The number of white blood cells (WBC count)The number of red blood cells (RBC count)The numb...
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Reticulocyte count
Reticulocyte count
Reticulocytes are slightly immature red blood cells. A reticulocyte count is a blood test that measures the amount of these cells in the blood....
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Serum ferritin level
Serum ferritin level
The ferritin blood test measures the level of ferritin in the blood. Ferritin is a protein inside your cells that stores iron. It allows your body ...
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Serum iron level
Serum iron level
A serum iron test measures how much iron is in your blood.
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C-reactive protein level
C-reactive protein
C-reactive protein (CRP) is produced by the liver. The level of CRP rises when there is inflammation in the body. It is one of a group of proteins,...
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Erythrocyte sedimentation rate
Erythrocyte sedimentation rate
ESR stands for erythrocyte sedimentation rate. It is commonly called a "sed rate. "It is a test that indirectly measures the level of certain protei...
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Bone marrow aspiration (in rare cases to check for cancer)
Bone marrow aspiration
Bone marrow is the soft tissue inside bones that helps form blood cells. It is found in the hollow part of most bones. Bone marrow aspiration is th...
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Treatment
Anemia is often mild enough that it does not need treatment. It may get better when the disease that is causing it is treated.
More severe anemia, such as that caused by cancer or HIV/AIDS may require:
- Blood transfusion
- Erythropoietin, a hormone produced by the kidneys, given as a shot
Outlook (Prognosis)
The anemia will improve when the disease that is causing it is treated.
Possible Complications
Discomfort from symptoms is the main complication in most cases. Anemia may lead to a higher risk for death in people with heart failure.
When to Contact a Medical Professional
Contact your provider if you have a long-term (chronic) disorder and you develop symptoms of anemia.
References
Elghetany MT, Banki K. Erythrocytic disorders. In: McPherson RA, Pincus MR, eds. Henry's Clinical Diagnosis and Management by Laboratory Methods. 24th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 33.
Ginzburg YZ. Anemia of chronic inflammation. In: Hoffman R, Benz EJ, Silberstein LE, et al, eds. Hematology: Basic Principles and Practice. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 38.
Means RT. Approach to the anemias. In: Goldman L, Cooney KA, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 27th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:chap 144.
Review Date: 3/31/2024
Reviewed By: Todd Gersten, MD, Hematology/Oncology, Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute, Wellington, FL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.