Saturday, February, 11, 2012

Anemia - chronic disease

Table of Contents

Alternative Names

Anemia of inflammation


Symptoms

Anemia of chronic disease is often mild. You may not notice symptoms of anemia.

Symptoms may include:

  • Feeling weak or tired
  • Headache
  • Paleness
  • Shortness of breath

Signs and tests

The doctor will perform a physical examination.

Because anemia may be the first symptom of a serious illness, determining its cause is very important.

Tests that may be done to diagnose anemia or rule out other causes include:

  • Hemoglobin level
  • Red blood count
  • Reticulocyte count
  • Serum ferritin
  • Serum iron
  • Other blood tests

Review Date: 02/28/2011
Reviewed By: David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.; Yi-Bin Chen, MD, Leukemia/Bone Marrow Transplant Program, Massachusetts General Hospital.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)