Which type of anemia is associated with chronic illness?

Anemia of Chronic Disease is characterized by the presence of anemia that often occurs in the context of ongoing inflammatory, infectious, or neoplastic diseases. This type of anemia results from a combination of factors related to the underlying chronic illness, including the body's response to inflammation, increased hepcidin production, and impaired iron metabolism.

In individuals with chronic disease, iron is sequestered, which limits its availability for the production of red blood cells, despite adequate iron stores. Additionally, the production of erythropoietin may be disrupted during chronic illness, leading to decreased red blood cell production in the bone marrow. This results in a normocytic (often microcytic) anemia that is typically mild to moderate in severity.

Understanding this mechanism is essential for recognizing how chronic inflammation can contribute to anemia development, distinguishing it from other types of anemia that have different pathophysiological processes.