Patient education: Anemia of inflammation (anemia of chronic disease) (The Basics)

What is anemia? — Anemia is when a person has too few red blood cells. Red blood cells carry oxygen in the blood. If you have too few red blood cells, your body might not get enough oxygen.

Different things can cause anemia. The most common cause is not having enough iron. Another cause of anemia is inflammation. This can happen when the body's infection-fighting system, called the "immune system," is more active because of a medical problem. This is called "anemia of inflammation" or "anemia of chronic disease."

Anemia of inflammation can be caused by:

●An infection

●A long-term, or "chronic," condition – Examples include lupus, inflammatory bowel disease ("IBD"), or heart failure.

The infection or chronic condition makes it harder for the body to use iron to make red blood cells.

What are the symptoms of anemia of inflammation? — People might have symptoms of the condition that caused their anemia, or they might have symptoms of anemia itself.

Symptoms of anemia can include:

●Feeling tired or weak, especially with exercise

●Feeling irritable or depressed

●Headaches

These symptoms can also be caused by other health conditions. They do not always mean that the person has anemia.

Should I see a doctor or nurse? — Yes. If you have a long-term disease or condition and have the symptoms listed above, tell your doctor or nurse.

Is there a test for anemia of inflammation? — Your doctor might suspect anemia of inflammation when you have an infection or chronic condition along with anemia.

There are several tests that can be done. A blood test can show if you have anemia. Your doctor will also do tests to check your iron levels and look for other causes of anemia. You will probably get tests related to your chronic condition, too.

If you have anemia and a chronic condition, and tests do not find another cause for your anemia, your doctor might decide that you likely have anemia of inflammation. There is not 1 specific test that can show if you have anemia of inflammation. But a group of blood tests is very helpful.

How is anemia of inflammation treated? — The main treatment is to treat the infection or chronic condition. For example, if you have lupus, getting treatment for your lupus will also help with the anemia.

Sometimes other treatments are also given. For example:

●If your body is low in iron, which happens in some people with anemia of inflammation, your doctor will give you iron supplements. You can get extra iron in pills or through a thin tube that goes into a vein, called an "IV."

●In some cases, your doctor might use a medicine that causes your body to make more red blood cells. These medicines are called erythropoietin or erythropoiesis-stimulating agents, or "ESAs." But this is not common.

●People who have kidney disease and are on dialysis will usually get IV iron and an ESA.

More on this topic

Patient education: Anemia caused by low iron (The Basics)

Patient education: Anemia caused by low iron in adults (Beyond the Basics)