Alžbeta Balíková
Anemia in patients with chronic infectious, inflammatory and neoplastic diseases, which is not the consequence of primary bone marrow disorders, is known as anemia of chronic disease (ACD) and it is one of the most common syndromes in medicine. The common sign of diseases associated with ACD is the overproduction of cytokins, which mediate the immune and inflammatory response, and ACD can be elucidated as a systemic effect of inflammation, which leads to anemia through erythropoiesis depression. All processes which take place in the development of ACD, including erythrocyte survival shortening, decreased erythropoietin (EPO) response to anemia, impaired erythrocyte progenitor response to EPO and abnormal mobilisation of deposited reticuloendothelial iron, may be a consequence of cytokine action. Development of ACD is also modificated by the underlyind disease. ACD is often misdiagnosed and consequently treated inadequately.The good recognition of this syndrome is very important for adequate therapy.