Vnitr Lek 2005, 51(7-8):878-880

Anemia of chronic disease

L. Raida

Hemato-onkologická klinika Lékařské fakulty UP a FN, Olomouc, přednosta prof. MUDr. Karel Indrák, DrSc.

Anemia of chronic disease may be defined as a hypoproliferative one mediated by the increase of cytokines production because of underlying, usually inflammatory or malignant, disorder. The high levels of some cytokines are particularly produced in such diseases and can negatively influence the proliferation and maturation of erythroid progenitors by the decrease of erythropoietin production, iron mobilisation from the cells of reticuloendothelial system and its final incorporation into the erythroblasts. Red cells surviving is shortened and insufficiently compensated by the hypoprolipherative erythropoiesis, as well. In clinical practice, anemia of chronic disease is usually confused with sideropenic one or another, primarily hematological, disease as myelodysplastic syndrome, the type of refractory anemia or refractory anemia with ring sideroblasts. A causal treatment of this anemia is the successful therapy of primary disorder and the elimination of another factors possibly participating on the anemia. The administration of recombinant erythropoietin can be effective and it has become a part of comprehensive supportive care particularly in the patients developed the anemia of chronic disease because of active malignancy.

Keywords: anemia of chronic disease; cytokines; iron; ferritin; transferrin; soluble transferrin receptor; erythropoietin

Received: March 11, 2005; Accepted: March 11, 2005; Published: July 1, 2005  Show citation