Pregnancy SmartSiteTM
Anemia of inflammation; Inflammatory anemia; AOCD; ACD DefinitionAnemia 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 of chronic disease (ACD) is anemia that is found in people with certain long-term (chronic) medical conditions that involve inflammation. CausesAnemia 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:
SymptomsAnemia of chronic disease is often mild. You may not notice any symptoms. When symptoms occur, they may include:
Exams and TestsThe 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:
TreatmentAnemia 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:
Outlook (Prognosis)The anemia will improve when the disease that is causing it is treated. Possible ComplicationsDiscomfort 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 ProfessionalContact your provider if you have a long-term (chronic) disorder and you develop symptoms of anemia. ReferencesElghetany 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. Means RT. Approach to the anemias. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 26th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 149. Nayak L, Gardner LB, Little JA. Anemia of chronic diseases. In: Hoffman R, Benz EJ, Silberstein LE, et al, eds. Hematology: Basic Principles and Practice. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2018:chap 37. | ||
| ||
Review Date: 1/25/2022 Reviewed By: Todd Gersten, MD, Hematology/Oncology, Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute, Wellington, FL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. | ||
A.D.A.M. content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser. |