This slide will compare iron study results in the anemias of iron deficiency and chronic disease/inflammation.
| Parameter | Iron Deficiency Anemia | Anemia of Chronic Disease/Chronic Inflammation |
| Etiology | In adults in the United States, iron deficiency anemia is most likely the result of chronic blood loss. Chronic blood loss in conditions such as colon cancer depletes iron stores. In infants, however, iron deficiency anemia is commonly related to issues with diet or absorption of iron. | Anemia of chronic disease/inflammation is found in several chronic conditions, such as chronic kidney disease, chronic inflammatory conditions, and diabetes mellitus. The protein hepcidin is responsible for decreased absorption of iron from the diet. In addition, hepcidin also traps iron in macrophages, increasing the stored form of iron (ferritin). |
| Serum iron | Decreased | Decreased as hepcidin decreases iron absorption from the gastrointestinal (GI) tract |
| Ferritin | Decreased as iron stores are drained | Increased as hepcidin traps iron in macrophages |
| TIBC | Increased as more binding sites are open on the transferrin molecule secondary to iron deficiency | Decreased as fewer sites are open on the transferrin molecule due to hepcidin trapping iron |
| Erythrocyte/zinc protoporphyrin | Increased | Increased |
| RBC morphology | Microcytic/hypochromic | Normocytic/normochromic (usually) |
