Iron Therapy and the Anemia of Chronic Disease

For most patients with the anemia of chronic disease, no specific therapy is needed. Rather, treatment should be directed to the underlying disorder. The anemia typically is mild to moderate and self-limited, and resolves with correction of the underlying inflammatory disorder if this is possible. Blood transfusion is seldom warranted. In the absence of coexisting iron deficiency or therapy with erythropoietin, neither oral nor parenteral iron is of any benefit.