Anemia of Chronic Disease

[Guest guest]

Found out about this website from the Arthritis Newsgroup. At the end of

the article, I've pasted in a message that was written in response to

someone's post. May help us understand this subject better.

~Georgina

Anemia of Chronic Disease

http://irondisorders.org/disorders/acd/index.htm

Introduction:

Anemia of Chronic Disease (ACD) is a condition of impaired iron

utilization where functional iron (hemoglobin) is low but tissue iron

(such as in storage) is normal or high. ACD is seen in a wide range of

chronic malignant, autoimmune, leukemic, inflammatory, and infectious

disease conditions.

In rheumatoid arthritis there is frequently co-existence of ACD and iron

deficiency anemia resulting from gastrointestinal bleeding due to drug

therapy. ACD, also known as hypoferremia of inflammatory disease and

anemia of inflammation, is often diagnosed as mild iron deficiency

anemia.

Supplementation with iron for those with ACD can be harmful and even

result in death.

Who's At Risk?

One who demonstrates lowered hemoglobin, lowered serum iron, lowered

transferrin saturation while having high levels of storage iron

(ferritin).

This scenario is commonly seen in people who have chronic inflammatory

disease such as rheumatoid arthritis or infection. It can also appear in

young children who have a simple ear infection.

What Are The Symptoms?

Anemia of chronic disease can be present in numerous situations

associated with inflammation, infection, and cancer. When infection,

fever--even mild, or history of cancer or suspicion of cancer is present

with low hemoglobin but elevated ferritin, anemia of chronic disease

should be considered.

How Is It Detected?

When ACD is suspect serum iron will be low, fasting ferritin elevated,

transferrin iron saturation percentage low, total iron binding capacity

low, transferrin low and the serum transferrin receptor normal.

How Is The Disorder Treated?

The cause of anemia will dictate treatment. Once inflammation, infection

or presence of pathogen is identified and treated, anemia may be

resolved. In cases where cancer is the cause of anemia, cancer treatment

and therapy take priority over removal of iron that has resulted from

transfusion or infusion.

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Actually both iron saturation and ferritin is a measure of how much iron

you have in storage. Because liver problems can skew the iron saturation

results ferritin is considered more accurate. But the ferritin result

can be inaccurate if you have inflammation. The most accurate method of

determining your bodies store of iron is liver biopsy (YUCK).

You flunked your iron saturation test. I'm assuming your hematocrit and

hemoglobin is also low. Sounds like you need your iron tabs.

FWIW hemocromatosis (too much iron in the body) can cause iron to be

deposited in the liver, heart, and pancreas, causing damage to those

organs. It is treated by bloodletting twice a week. When a person

loses a pint of blood the intestine is stimulated to absorb more iron

from diet and if the bloodletting is done less often than twice a week

the iron levels will rise.

Also you can increase absorption of iron by taking your tablets with

something acidic such as OJ or a tomato.

ALSO KEEP IRON AWAY FROM CHILDREN. The most common cause of death in

children from poisoning is grandma's iron pills. Not the most common

agent of poisoning but the most common cause of death from poisoning.

There is no antidote and it is difficult to treat.