From the Guidelines
Anemia of chronic disease would most likely show a normocytic anemia with low hemoglobin levels, usually in the range of 8-10 g/dL, with a normal or slightly decreased mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and normal mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) on CBC results. The CBC would reveal decreased hemoglobin concentration, which is a key indicator of anemia. This type of anemia develops as a result of inflammatory cytokines that interfere with iron metabolism, reduce erythropoietin production, and shorten red blood cell survival, as noted in the study by 1. Some key points to consider when evaluating anemia of chronic disease include:
- The hallmark laboratory finding is low serum iron with normal or increased ferritin levels, reflecting adequate iron stores but impaired iron utilization, which distinguishes it from iron deficiency anemia, where both serum iron and ferritin are low 1.
- The severity of anemia typically correlates with the duration and severity of the underlying chronic condition, which may include infections, autoimmune disorders, chronic kidney disease, or malignancies.
- Anemia of chronic disease may exist with or without functional iron deficiency (FID), and the presence of FID can further complicate the diagnosis and treatment of anemia, as discussed in the study by 1.
- The study by 1 also highlights the importance of considering anemia in the context of chronic heart failure, where it is associated with increased mortality risk, reduced exercise capacity, and impaired health-related quality of life.
From the Research
Anemia of Chronic Disease and CBC Results
- Anemia of chronic disease is typically characterized by a decrease in hemoglobin levels, which can be observed in CBC (Complete Blood Count) results.
- However, the provided study 2 does not directly relate to anemia of chronic disease or CBC results, as it discusses lysinoalanine formation in wool after treatments with phosphate salts.
- There are no research papers provided that directly assist in answering this question about the specific CBC results of hemoglobin in anemia of chronic disease.
- Typically, anemia of chronic disease would show a normocytic or microcytic anemia with decreased hemoglobin levels, but this information is not supported by the provided study 2.