| Associated
Conditions: MAIN MENU |
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| Anemia
of Chronic Disease |
| This page
was written by Shelley
Ensz, and has not yet been medically edited. Inspiration,
personal story and several links for this page were provided
by Sherrill Knaggs. See Disclaimer. |
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| Overview |
| Anemia refers to a deficiency in
the blood. Anemia most commonly refers to insufficient iron
resulting in a shortage of hemoglobin, but the term is also
used to indicate vitamin deficiency or blood loss. Anemia can
range from mild and temporary to severe and life-threatening.
When the anemia is caused by a chronic illness, it is called "anemia
of chronic disease." |
| What is Anemia? |
| Anemia:
Overview. Many types of anemia exist, each with its own
cause. The cause may be an iron or vitamin deficiency, blood
loss, a chronic illness, or a genetic or acquired defect
or disease. It may also be a side effect of a medication.
Anemia can be temporary or long-term. It can range from mild
to severe. Mayo Clinic. |
| Anemia:
A Warning Signal. Anemia is a signal, warning that your
body has a shortage of hemoglobin. Hemoglobin delivers oxygen
to tissues and organs, and is carried by red blood cells.
When someone is anemic, their organs are not getting enough
oxygen to do their jobs. If allowed to persist, this condition
can have serious consequences, affecting both quality and
length of life. But when anemia is identified, appropriate
treatments can help correct and manage it. National Anemia
Action Council. |
| Aplastic
anaemia. Aplastic anaemia is a rare haemopoietic stem-cell
disorder that results in pancytopenia and hypocellular bone
marrow. Acquired aplastic anaemia can be effectively treated
by allogeneic bone-marrow transplantation, immunosuppression
(generally antithymocyte globulin and cyclosporin), and high-dose
cyclophosphamide. PubMed. Lancet. 2005 May;365(9471):1647-56. |
| Types of Anemia by
Sherrill Knaggs |
 I
often become quite severely anemic, but although I started
off with the anemia of chronic disease, it became much more
serious when my kidneys failed, and I now have the anemia of
kidney failure. (Also see: Sherrill
Knaggs: My Experience with Anemia) |
| In both anemia of chronic disease
and of kidney failure I was treated with iron infusions by
IV. I was told that only about 10% of iron tablets are absorbed
by most people regardless of whether they have an autoimmune
disease or not, so the iron by IV is much better absorbed.
I have proved that too, as each time I have had an iron infusion
I come right quite quickly. |
| Generally speaking B12 injections
are usually used for a different sort of anemia called pernicious
anemia. In the UK, by far the most common cause of vitamin
B12 deficiency is a lack of 'intrinsic factor', a substance
which is produced in the stomach and enables the body to absorb
vitamin B12 from the diet. Sometimes doctors add B12 for other
reasons to treatment with iron, but it doesn't pay to self
dose with B12. NetDoctor.com.uk. |
| To know whether you are deficient
with this you should have a blood test. I had one a while back,
and my levels were fine, though my iron levels were not. |
| Sometimes folic acid is also needed
as this helps with the manufacture of red blood cells, but
once again should not be taken without consulting your doctor. |
| I was once given B12 injections
by a doctor, and I didn't need them. It made my heart do very
strange things! If you read the webpage above about B12 deficiency
you will find more information, including other possible causes
of this deficiency. One is the formation of antibodies against
the cells producing intrinsic factor. The cells then die and
B12 deficiency and anaemia (also called pernicious anaemia)
develop. Maybe an autoimmune disease can form these antibodies.
And it is entirely possible for a patient to have both sorts
of anemia simultaneously. |
| Symptoms of Anemia |
| Anemia:
Signs and Symptoms. The main symptom of most types
of anemia is fatigue. Other signs and symptoms of anemia
include: Weakness; Pale skin, including decreased pinkness
of your lips, gums, lining of your eyelids, nail beds and
palms; A rapid heartbeat; Shortness of breath; Chest pain;
Dizziness; Irritability; Numbness or coldness in your hands
and feet; Headache. Mayo Clinic. |
| Diagnosis of Anemia |
| Diagnosis/Symptoms
of Anemia. Extensive information, including blood tests
for anemia, treatments, nutrition, and specific conditions
related to anemia. Medline Plus. |
| What is Anemia of
Chronic Disease? |
| When the anemia is caused by a
chronic illness, it is called "anemia of chronic disease." |
| Anemia
of Chronic Disease. Chronic disease often leads to anemia,
especially in older adults. Conditions such as infections,
inflammation, and cancer particularly suppress production
of red blood cells in the bone marrow. Since the suppression
is usually not severe, anemia develops slowly and is evident
only after time. The Merck Manual. |
| Anemia
of Chronic Disease. Conditions associated with the anemia
of infection and chronic diseases include such diverse diseases
as chronic bacterial endocarditis, osteomyelitis, juvenile
rheumatoid arthritis, rheumatic fever, Crohn's disease, and
ulcerative colitis. Chronic renal failure may produce a similar
anemia because it causes reduced levels of erythropoietin,
the hormone which stimulates the production of red blood
cells in the bone marrow. HealthCentral. |
| Causes of Anemia of
Chronic Disease |
| Increased
risk of anemia in dialysis patients with comorbid diseases. Recent
analyses conducted by the United States Renal Data System
indicate that dialysis patients with concomitant comorbidities
such as systemic lupus erythematosus, multiple myeloma, acquired
immunodeficiency syndrome, or other secondary glomerulonephritis/vasculitis
are at greater risk for anemia. PubMed. Nephrol Nurs J.
2004 Mar-Apr;31(2):211-4. (Also see: Dialysis) |
| Anemia
in Kidney Disease and Dialysis Anemia is common in people
with kidney disease. Healthy kidneys produce a hormone called
erythropoietin, or EPO, which stimulates the bone marrow
to produce the proper number of red blood cells needed to
carry oxygen to vital organs. Diseased kidneys, however,
often do not make enough EPO. As a result, the bone marrow
makes fewer red blood cells. If no other cause for EPO deficiency
is found, it can be treated with a genetically engineered
form of the hormone, which is usually injected under the
skin two or three times a week. NIDDK. (Also see: Dialysis) |
| Watermelon
Stomach belongs to a group of gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding
problems which are referred to as Arteriovenous Malformations (AVMs.)
Untreated, AVMs can cause chronic anemia or acute (sudden
or severe) GI bleeding. AVMs can also cause vomiting of blood
(hematemesis) or dark, tarry stools which contain blood (melena.) ISN. |
| Low-titer
cold agglutinin disease with systemic sclerosis. A 60-year-old
woman with systemic sclerosis (SSc) was admitted because
of severe anemia and Raynaud's phenomenon. She was diagnosed
as low-titer cold agglutinin disease rousing secondarily
to SSc. PubMed. Intern Med. 2004 Feb;43(2):139-42. (Also
see: What is Scleroderma? and Raynaud's) |
| A
60 year old male patient having systemic scleroderma and
normotensive scleroderma renal crisis. Before admission
he had been treated with high doses of corticosteroids. We
believe corticosteroids led to the worsening of renal damage
with renal failure, microangiopathic hemolytic anemia without
high blood pressure. PubMed. Medicina (B Aires) 2003;63(1):49-50.
(Also see: Kidney
Involvement) |
| Treatment of Anemia
of Chronic Disease |
| Treating
Anemia. Because anemia itself is not a disease but a
sign of some other process, the best way to minimize the
symptoms of anemia at home is to control other medical problems. eMedicine. |
| Efficacy
of anti-thymocyte globulin and cyclosporin A combined therapy
in aplastic anemia complicated with limited cutaneous systemic
sclerosis. The use of this therapy resulted not only
in marrow recovery but also in resolution of the skin sclerosis. PubMed.
Nihon Rinsho Meneki Gakkai Kaishi. 2005 Apr;28(2):99-103. |
| Personal Stories of
Anemia |
| Anna:
Linear Scleroderma (Poland) I realised that it is
not worthwhile to give up, even during the most difficult
moments; it is necessary to fight and to believe that it
will be better. If I had not believed I would not have been
alive now... |
| Aurora:
Linear Scleroderma I am always very tired, and I suffer
from pain that will not go away no matter what I do... |
| Doni:
CREST Syndrome The doctors were always interested
like, "Wow look at this," but since I had no insurance,
they would not touch me... |
| Jody:
Fibromyalgia/Difficult Diagnosis In Sudan, I was on
IV for heat stroke and food poisoning. And in Thailand, at
the end of March, it all came to a crashing halt... |
| Kaycee:
Diffuse Scleroderma with Polymyositis The rheumatologist
confirmed the diagnosis of diffuse scleroderma on my initial
visit to him. Since then, I have had a muscle biopsy, which
confirmed polymyositis... |
| Keri:
Undiagnosed I have been living with back pain, stomach
problems and skin problems since I was a teen... |
| Rosie:
Limited Systemic Sclerosis (Australia) Some of my
symptoms may not be due to limited scleroderma, however most
of these symptoms have appeared since my diagnosis... |
| Sherrill:
My Experience with Anemia Since I became ill with
diffuse scleroderma just over eight years ago, I have found
that anemia is a quite complex subject... |
| Sue D: Diffuse Scleroderma Pain developed in my hands, then I noticed pain in my knees, then my shoulders, down my back, elbows, hips, feet... |
| Yuri: CREST Syndrome Now, one month before my nineteenth birthday, I live with CREST Syndrome, rheumatoid
arthritis, acid reflux and anemia... |
