Misdiagnosis of Underlying Causes of Anemia


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About underlying conditions: With a diagnosis of Anemia, it is important to consider whether there is an underlying condition causing Anemia. These are other medical conditions that may possibly cause Anemia. For general information on this form of misdiagnosis, see Underlying Condition Misdiagnosis or Overview of Misdiagnosis

Underlying conditions list: The list of possible underlying conditions mentioned in various sources for Anemia includes:

Anemia as a complication: Other conditions that might have Anemia as a complication might be potential underlying conditions. The list of conditions listing Anemia as a complication includes:

Anemia as a symptom: Conditions listing Anemia as a symptom may also be potential underlying conditions:

Underlying conditions discussion: Anemia is common in people with kidney disease. Healthy kidneys produce a hormone called erythropoietin, or EPO, which stimulates the bone marrow to produce the proper number of red blood cells needed to carry oxygen to vital organs. Diseased kidneys, however, often don't make enough EPO. As a result, the bone marrow makes fewer red blood cells.1

Other common causes of anemia include loss of blood from hemodialysis and low levels of iron and folic acid. These nutrients from food help young red blood cells make hemoglobin (Hgb), their main oxygen-carrying protein. 1

Anemia may begin to develop in the early stages of kidney disease, when you still have 20 percent to 50 percent of your normal kidney function. This partial loss of kidney function is often called chronic renal insufficiency. Anemia tends to worsen as kidney disease progresses. End-stage kidney failure, the point at which dialysis or kidney transplantation becomes necessary, doesn't occur until you have only about 10 percent of your kidney function remaining. Nearly everyone with end-stage kidney failure has anemia.1

If bleeding is slow and occurs over a long period of time, a gradual onset of fatigue, lethargy, shortness of breath, and pallor from the anemia will result. Anemia is a condition in which the blood's iron-rich substance, hemoglobin, is diminished. 2

Other common causes of anemia include: eating inadequate amounts of iron-rich foods, a deficiency of Vitamin B-12, a deficiency of folic acid, or poor iron absorption by the body.3

Anemia is reported in athletes vigorously engaged in sports such as long-distance running4

Footnotes:
1. excerpt from Anemia in Kidney Disease and Dialysis: NIDDK
2. excerpt from Bleeding in the Digestive Tract: NIDDK
3. excerpt from Anemia: NWHIC
4. excerpt from Sports Injury: NWHIC
Last revision: May 20, 2003

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