The development of anemia in chronic diseases

Low levels of red blood cells do not supply sufficient oxygen to the tissues, which causes mild fatigue, shortness of breath during exercise, difficulty concentrating, drowsiness, mild irritability, and others. The heart tries to compensate for oxygen starvation with a rapid pulse, which can cause palpitations, especially during exercise. The skin and visible mucous membranes are pale, and depending on the cause, jaundice may occur.

However, suspected anemia is not the only reason that will prompt a doctor to order blood tests. In addition to hematological diseases, many other diseases and conditions of the body can lead to the development of anemia syndrome.

In these cases, anemia is hypochromic and hyporegenerative, with signs of low iron levels, but without absolute deficiency. It develops in chronic inflammatory, infectious, or malignant diseases. Sometimes they are difficult to recognize.

What diseases can cause anemia?
Of course, the list below is not exhaustive, but it represents the most common cases. It should not be forgotten that the presence of any of these diseases is not equivalent to the presence of anemia syndrome. Each case is different.

Chronic infectious diseases
These can be nonspecific pneumonia (for example, bronchiectasis), tuberculosis, endocarditis, osteomyelitis, brucellosis, and others.
Chronic systemic non-communicable inflammatory diseases
Rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, Crohn's disease, nodular panarteritis, and others.
Malignant neoplasms (cancer)
All types of carcinomas and sarcomas. Each malignant nodule can cause bleeding on its own, for example, from the gastrointestinal tract, which obviously becomes a source of anemia. In the case of bone metastases, the latter disrupt hematopoiesis in the bone marrow and, consequently, also lead to anemia.

How do chronic diseases cause anemia?
The presence of a chronic disease in the body leads to the appearance of some characteristic signs that at first glance are not directly related to red blood cells and hemoglobin, but eventually lead to anemia. There are several mechanisms by which this happens, and they often work together.:

Disorders of iron metabolism
It has been found that it is deposited in macrophages and inflamed tissues in a metabolically inactive form. It is also possible that cytokines secreted by cells of the immune system affect its release.

Hepcidin is an antimicrobial substance synthesized by the liver. At the same time, it was found that along with its beneficial properties, iron absorption in the gastrointestinal tract decreases, as well as its release from macrophages for the needs of erythropoiesis (formation of red blood cells).
Decreased erythropoietin levels
Erythropoietin is a substance that is produced by mesangial cells in the kidneys. Its role is to stimulate erythropoiesis. In chronic diseases, there is sometimes an absolute or relative deficiency of erythropoietin. This may be due to the suppression of its production by cytokines in order to modulate its effect on stem cells in the bone marrow.
Shortening the life of red blood cells
This is usually about 120 days. Their premature death can occur in discrete amounts without an increase in bilirubin levels. One of the reasons is the activation of macrophages, vascular factors, and hemolysins of bacterial or tumor origin.

Treatment - only the treatment of the underlying disease is effective and meaningful. Meanwhile, blood transfusion is rarely required, as anemia develops slowly and adaptive mechanisms develop in the body. The secret to a great start on Pin-Up lies in activating the maximum welcome package. The platform successfully blends sports betting excitement with a premium casino atmosphere. Smart players never skip this important step. Positioned prominently in the current welcome offer is the trusted pin up casino promo code when registering and enjoy a 100% bonus up to $100 on your opening deposit. This extra capital creates better conditions for longer sessions and bolder bets.