Anemia of Chronic Disease: A Misnomer?
Authors: Dietmar Fuchs, Günter Weiss, Helmut Wachter
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (1992)

Letters15 March 1992Anemia of Chronic Disease: A Misnomer?Dietmar Fuchs, PhD, Günter Weiss, MD, Helmut Wachter, PhDDietmar Fuchs, PhDSearch for more papers by this author, Günter Weiss, MDSearch for more papers by this author, Helmut Wachter, PhDSearch for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-116-6-520 SectionsAboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail ExcerptTo the Editors: The editorial by Schilling (1) was very stimulating. Chronic inflammation is very often the underlying mechanism of hypoferric anemia in patients. Chronic immune stimulation appears to cause changes in iron metabolism. In patients with both gynecologic and hematologic neoplasias, we found significant inverse correlations between hemoglobin levels and parameters of immune stimulation, such as gammainterferon and neopterin (2, 3). Large amounts of the latter compound are produced by human macrophages after stimulation with gamma-interferon (4). As for iron metabolism, we found again inverse correlations among levels of serum iron, transferrin, and iron-binding capacity and neopterin levels as...References1. Schilling R. Anemia of chronic disease: a misnomer [Editorial]. Ann Intern Med. 1991;115:572-3. LinkGoogle Scholar2. FuchsHausenReibnegger DAG. Immune activation and the anaemia associated with chronic inflammatory disorders. Eur J Haematol. 1991;46:65-70. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. DenzFuchsHuber HDH. Correlation between neopterin, interferon-gamma and haemoglobin in patients with haematological disorders. Eur J Haematol. 1990;44:186-9. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. FuchsHausenReibneggerWernerDierichWachter DAGEMH. Neopterin as a marker for activated cell-mediated immunity: application in HIV infection. Immunol Today. 1988;9:150-5. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. WachterArtner-DworzakFuchs HED. Association between neopterin and iron metabolism in cancer patients. Tumor Diagnost Ther. 1991;11:229-32. Google Scholar1. Schilling R. Anemia of chronic disease: a misnomer [Editorial]. Ann Intern Med. 1991;115:572-3. LinkGoogle Scholar2. FreireichMillerEmersonRoss EACJ. The effect of inflammation on the utilization of erythrocyte and transferrin bound radioiron for red cell production. Blood. 1957;12:972-83. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. HauraniYoungTocantins FKL. Reutilization of iron in anemia complicating malignant neoplasms. Blood. 1962;22:73-81. CrossrefGoogle Scholar4. HauraniBurkeMartinez FWE. Defective reutilization of iron in the anemia of inflammation. J Lab Clin Med. 1965;65:560-70. MedlineGoogle Scholar5. HauraniGreen FD. Primary defective iron reutilization. A new syndrome. Am J Med. 1967;42:151-8. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar1. Schilling R. Anemia of chronic disease: a misnomer [Editorial]. Ann Intern Med. 1991;115:572-3. LinkGoogle Scholar2. CartwrightLee GG. The anaemia of chronic disorders. Br J Haematol. 1971;21:147-52. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. VreugdenhilSwaak GA. Anaemia in rheumatoid arthritis. Pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment. Rheumatol Int. 1990;9:243-57. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. HansenHansen TN. Serum ferritin as indicator of iron responsiveness anaemia in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Ann Rheum Dis. 1986;45:596-602. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. Erslev A. Anemia of chronic disorders. In: Williams WJ, Beutler E, Erslev AJ, Lichtman MA, eds. Hematology. 4th ed. New York: McGraw Hill; 1990. Google Scholar1. Schilling R. Anemia of chronic disease: a misnomer [Editorial]. Ann Intern Med. 1991;115:572-3. LinkGoogle Scholar2. Kushner I. The phenomenon of the acute phase response. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1982;389:39-48. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. Kushner I. Regulation of the acute phase response by cytokines. In: Gearing A, Rossio J, Oppenheim J, eds. Clinical Applications of Cytokines: Role in Pathogenesis, Diagnosis and Therapy. Oxford: Oxford University Press; [In press]. Google Scholar4. BallouKushner SI. C-reactive protein and the acute phase response. In: Stollerman GH, ed. Advances in Internal Medicine. Chicago: Mosby Year Book; 1991;37:293-316. Google Scholar5. MacLeodAvery CO. The occurrence during acute infections of a protein not normally present in the blood. II. Isolation and properties of the reactive protein. J Exp Med. 1941;73:183-90. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar This content is PDF only. To continue reading please click on the PDF icon. Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAuthors: Dietmar Fuchs, PhD; Günter Weiss, MD; Helmut Wachter, PhDAffiliations: University of Innsbruck A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics 15 March 1992Volume 116, Issue 6Page: 520-521KeywordsAnemiaHemoglobinInflammation ePublished: 1 December 2008 Issue Published: 15 March 1992 PDF downloadLoading ...