Common causes of normocytic anemia:
- Heavy menstrual bleeding
- Chronic bleeding, usually due to a gastrointestinal problem
- Bleeding from an injury
- Chronic kidney, heart, or liver disease
- COPD
- Hemolysis (premature destruction of the red blood cells) due to sickle cell disease or an infection
- Cancer or cancer treatment
- Bone marrow disease
What are the three main causes of anemia?
The diseases most closely associated with normocytic anemia include: infections. cancer. chronic kidney disease. heart failure. obesity. rheumatoid arthritis. lupus. vasculitis (inflammation of the blood vessels) sarcoidosis (inflammatory disease affecting the lungs and lymph system) inflammatory ...
Which malignancies are associated with pernicious anemia?
Jan 08, 2022 · Common causes of normocytic anemia: Heavy menstrual bleeding Chronic bleeding, usually due to a gastrointestinal problem Bleeding from an injury Chronic kidney, heart, or liver disease COPD Hemolysis (premature destruction of the red blood cells) due to sickle cell disease or an infection Cancer or ...
What is the normal level of anemia?
Nov 15, 2000 · The most common cause of the acquired form of normocytic anemia is a long-term (chronic) disease. Chronic diseases that can cause normocytic anemia include kidney disease, cancer, rheumatoid...
What is megaloblastic anemia and what causes it?
Nov 25, 2021 · These include: Hypoxia (hypoxic respiratory failure, end-organ damage) Renal osteodystrophy (in chronic kidney disease, through secondary hyperparathyroidism) Cardiorenal anemia syndrome: Severe anemia causes a decline in blood perfusion to the kidneys, causing additional kidney... Cardiovascular ...
What are three causes of normocytic anemia?
- infections.
- cancer.
- chronic kidney disease.
- heart failure.
- obesity.
- rheumatoid arthritis.
- lupus.
- vasculitis (inflammation of the blood vessels)
How serious is normocytic anemia?
What is the cause of normocytic normochromic anemia?
What medications can cause normocytic anemia?
What type of anemia is normocytic anemia?
What is the fastest way to increase red blood cells?
- red meat, such as beef.
- organ meat, such as kidney and liver.
- dark, leafy, green vegetables, such as spinach and kale.
- dried fruits, such as prunes and raisins.
- beans.
- legumes.
- egg yolks.
Is iron deficiency anemia normocytic or Microcytic?
How is normocytic normochromic anemia treated?
Can anemia be caused by stress?
What is the meaning of normocytic?
: characterized by red blood cells that are normal in size and usually also in hemoglobin content normocytic blood.
When the Red Blood Cell Count Is Low
Heidi Moawad is a neurologist and expert in the field of brain health and neurological disorders. Dr. Moawad regularly writes and edits health and career content for medical books and publications.
What Are the Symptoms of Normocytic Anemia?
The effects of normocytic anemia can range from mild to severe, depending on the red blood cell count and other medical conditions that can add to your symptoms. 1 You may experience symptoms gradually over time if the anemia is slowly progressive, but the symptoms can worsen abruptly if the anemia develops rapidly.
What Causes Normocytic Anemia?
Normocytic anemia occurs when the body has a lower-than-normal amount of red blood cells. This can happen due to bleeding, chronic disease, or low red blood cell production.
How Is Normocytic Anemia Diagnosed?
The diagnosis of normocytic anemia is established with blood tests. If you have a serious injury with a substantial amount of blood loss, you would have a complete blood count (CBC), which would provide quick information about whether you have anemia.
What Are the Treatments for Normocytic Anemia?
Treatment of normocytic anemia can include controlling blood loss, treatment of underlying disease, blood transfusion, and medication to promote your red blood cell production. You would likely benefit from one or more of these treatments, and most people do not need all of them.
Prognosis: What to Expect?
Red blood cells last for an average of 120 days. 2 Your red blood cell count should improve within a few weeks with treatment.
Summary
Anemia is low red blood cell number or function. Normocytic anemia is a common type of anemia with a low red blood cell count and normal-sized red blood cells. It can develop due to blood loss, low red blood cell production, or chronic disease.
What diseases can cause normocytic anemia?
Chronic diseases that can cause normocytic anemia include kidney disease, cancer, rheumatoid arthritis and thyroiditis. Some medicines can cause you to have normocytic anemia, but this does not happen often.
How do you know if you have normocytic anemia?
You may find yourself getting tired easily. You may look pale. If the anemia starts more suddenly or gets really bad, you might feel dizzy or weak.
What does it mean when you have a low number of red blood cells?
Normocytic anemia is a blood problem. It means you have normal-sized red blood cells, but you have a low number of them. The presence of normal-sized red blood cells tells your doctor that you have normocytic anemia rather than another kind of anemia.
What happens if your CBC shows a low number of normal-sized red blood cells?
If your CBC shows a low number of normal-sized red blood cells, your doctor might want you to get more tests to see what is causing the anemia. If the cause is inherited, other family members may also need to be tested.
Is normocytic anemia congenital?
Normocytic anemia can be congenital (a problem you were born with) or acquired (caused by an infection or disease). Congenital normocytic anemia is caused by the breaking up of red blood cells. Sickle cell disease is a congenital disorder of red blood cells.
Can you get normocytic anemia from a blood test?
Most often, normocytic anemia is found on routine tests that are part of a physical exam. It might be found on a blood test you get for some other reason. A complete blood count also called a CBC can show if you have normocytic anemia.
What is normochromic anemia?
Normocytic normochromic anemia is the type of anemia in which the circulating RBCs are the same size (normocytic) and have a normal red color (normochromic). Most of the normochromic, normocytic anemias are a consequence of other diseases; a minority reflects a primary disorder of the blood.
How to tell if you have normocytic normochromic anemia?
A physical exam may help confirm the diagnosis. The first signs of normocytic normochromic anemia or any type of anemia are usually generalized weakness and a pale complexion.
How does normochromic anemia differ from other forms of anemia?
Normocytic normochromic anemia differs from other forms of anemia because the average size and hemoglobin content of the RBCs are typically within normal limits. RBCs typically appear similar to normal cells under microscopic examination, though in some cases, there may be variations in size and shape that equalize one another, resulting in average values within the normal range. Normocytic normochromic anemia most commonly occurs as a result of miscellaneous chronic infections and systemic diseases. Most normocytic anemias appear to be the outcome of the impaired production of RBCs. [5]
Why is RBC survival reduced?
The RBC survival is usually not markedly shortened, and marrow function should compensate for the reduced survival. In hemolytic anemias, the etiology of premature erythrocyte destruction is diverse and can be due to conditions such as intrinsic membrane defects, abnormal hemoglobin, erythrocyte enzymatic defects, immune destruction of erythrocytes, mechanical injury, and hypersplenism. Hemolysis may also be intramedullary, occurring in cases when fragile red blood cell (RBC) precursors are destroyed in the bone marrow before their release into the circulation.[15] Bone marrow changes also lead to physical obstruction and destruction of the bone marrow microenvironment.
What happens when the number of RBCs decreases?
A decrease in the number of RBCs transporting oxygen and carbon dioxide in anemia decreases the body’s capacity for proper gas exchange. The impairment may result from blood loss, an increase in the destruction, or reduced production of RBCs.
Why is reticulocyte count important?
Reticulocyte count must be obtained to determine the pathophysiologic mechanism of anemia. Increased reticulocyte count demonstrates hemolysis; other evidence related to increased RBC destruction, e.g., increased LDH, increased indirect bilirubin level, decreased haptoglobin, etc., should also be taken into consideration. A decreased reticulocyte count is associated with a hypoproliferative state like aplastic anemias, kidney disease, hypothyroidism, etc.
What is the function of RBCs in anemia?
The main function of RBCs, or erythrocytes, is to carry oxygen from the lungs to the body tissues and carbon dioxide as a waste product from the body tissues to the lungs back.
What is normocytic anemia?
Normocytic anemia is a type of anemia and is a common issue that occurs for men and women typically over 85 years old. Its prevalence increases with age, reaching 44 percent in men older than 85 years. The most common type of normocytic anemia is anemia of chronic disease.
What is the difference between normocytic and microcytic anemia?
A normocytic anemia is when the red blood cells are of normal size. Normocytic anemia is defined when the mean corpuscular volume (MCV) is between 80 and 100 femtolitres (fL), which is within the normal and expected range. However, the hematocrit and hemoglobin are decreased. In contrast, microcytic anemias are defined as an anemia with a mean corpuscular volume (MCV) less than 80 fL and macrocytic anemias have a mean corpuscular volume over 100 fL.
What is the best treatment for anemia?
Treatment for anemia due to chronic diseases, such as kidney disease, focus on healing the primary condition first. Dietary foods or supplements should be added if anemia is due to a lack of a particular vitamin. Erythropoietin may be considered if anemia is severe.
What does a high reticulocyte count mean?
A reticulocyte count that is high, normal or low will aid with the classification process. A high reticulocyte count signifies that bone marrow processes are normal. A low reticulocyte count would signify there is a problem at the level of the bone marrow which produce the stem cells. Acute blood loss would result in a high reticulocyte count as bone marrow processes are normal and the bone marrow responds accordingly to the body's need for blood.
What is normocytic anemia?
Its prevalence increases with age, reaching 44 percent in men older than 85 years. Normocytic anemia is the most frequently encountered type of anemia.
What is the most common cause of hemolytic normocytic anemia in children?
Homozygous sickle cell disease is the most common cause of hemolytic normocytic anemias in children. Because of longevity, this disease is also becoming an increasingly prevalent cause of these anemias in adults. 11 – 13. Hereditary spherocytosis is the most common red blood cell membrane disorder.
How to diagnose normocytic anemia?
Most published algorithms for the diagnosis of normocytic anemia begin with an examination of the peripheral blood smear 20 or a corrected reticulocyte index. 2, 9, 21 The red blood cell distribution width is a measure of the variability of the size (anisocytosis) of the cells and is usually reported as a component of automated CBCs. Therefore, a practical and useful first step is to use the red blood cell distribution width to help categorize the normocytic anemia as heterogeneous (e.g., hemolytic anemia) or homogeneous (e.g., anemia of chronic disease). 2 In patients with a mild homogeneous normocytic anemia (hematocrit of 30 percent or greater) and a known chronic disease, anemia of chronic disease is highly likely, and bone marrow biopsy may not be necessary ( Figure 2). 21
What is the term for a decrease in the circulating red blood cell mass?
Anemia is defined as a decrease in the circulating red blood cell mass to below age-specific and gender-specific limits. In normocytic anemias , the mean corpuscular volume (MCV) is within defined normal limits, but the hemoglobin and hematocrit are decreased.
What percentage of patients have normocytic anemia?
Anemia of chronic disease, the most common normocytic anemia, is found in 6 percent of adult patients hospitalized by family physicians. The goals of evaluation and management are to make an accurate and efficient diagnosis, avoid unnecessary testing, correct underlying treatable causes and ameliorate symptoms when necessary.
Why does anemia occur in renal failure?
In renal failure, anemia occurs in part because uremic metabolites decrease the lifespan of circulating red blood cells and reduce erythropoiesis.
What is anemia of chronic disease?
Anemia of chronic disease is associated with a wide variety of chronic disorders, including inflammatory conditions, infections, neoplasms and various systemic diseases. The diagnosis of anemia of chronic disease is not usually applied to the anemias associated with renal, hepatic or endocrine disorders.
What causes normocytic anemia?
Causes of normocytic anemia. Anemia of chronic disease is a condition where the anemia is actually caused by a long-term inflammation that is present is many different types of diseases.
How many people have normocytic anemia?
The normocytic anemia rates for some conditions are as follows: Up to 95% of patients with an acute infection (short-term) or chronic infection (ongoing for more than 6 months); Up to 77% of cancer patients; Up to 81% of people with autoimmune conditions; Up to 70% of patients who have rejection following an organ transplant;
What is the blood test for anemia?
A blood test called a full blood count can be very useful and is required for diagnosis as it gives the levels of hemoglobin in the blood. It will also give information about the size of the red blood cells, as well as how much hemoglobin each cell contains. Usually an anemia of chronic disease will have normally sized red blood cells (called normocytic) which have a normal amount of hemoglobin in them (called ‘normochromic’ as they are the right color).
What is the second most common type of anemia?
This hemoglobin is responsible for the transport of oxygen around the blood within red blood cells. Anemia of chronic disease is the second most common type of anemia, behind only iron deficiency anemia and it may be the most common cause of anemia for hospitalized patients.
What are the symptoms of anemia of chronic disease?
People with anemia of chronic disease can have symptoms such as: Fatigue; Headaches; Faintness; Breathlessness; Angina; Intermittent claudication (pain in the muscles of the legs leading to limping or lameness); Heart palpitations;
What are the effects of kidney disease on anemia?
Patients with chronic kidney disease that have coexisting anemia experience: Reduced quality of life; Cognitive impairment; Sleep disturbance; Disease progression; Increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality; Reduced exercise tolerance, angina, and worsening of heart failure (where this already exists);
What are the effects of anemia on the elderly?
It is associated with: Increased risk of falls; Weakness, muscle wasting and immobility; Cardiovascular and neurologic impairments; Depression and dementia; Hospitalization;
What is the most common cause of normocytic anemia?
Sickle cell disease is a congenital disorder of the red blood cells. Having a chronic or long-term illness can be one of the most common triggers for acquired normocytic anemia. Among the chronic diseases that can cause normocytic anemia are: thyroiditis, cancer, kidney disease and rheumatoid arthritis.
What is the treatment for normocytic anemia?
The treatment of normocytic anemia will depend on the cause : if it is due to iron deficiency as a consequence of an internal ulcer, it will be necessary to attend to the ulcer and if it is a nutritional deficiency, the diet will have to be changed .
How to cure normochromic normocytic anemia?
A very popular and supposedly effective home remedy in the treatment of normochromic normocytic anemia is to take 2 teaspoons of honey along with a ripe banana twice a day . Honey is a very effective product in normochromic normocytic treatment because it raises the level of hemoglobin found in the blood. It also has an abundance of copper, iron, and manganese that add to red blood cell production and also help promote healthier bone marrow production.
How many elderly people have normochromic normocytic anemia?
It is a type of anemia that occurs very frequently in the elderly, more than in younger populations. In fact, 8 out of 10 elderly people suffer from normochromic normocytic anemia.
What is normal anemia?
Normocytic anemia is a health condition that is mainly characterized by the absence of red blood cells in the body, although their appearance and size are normal, the amount is less than necessary. This condition is generally associated with chronic kidney disease, bone marrow disease, or profuse bleeding.
What is the best treatment for anemia?
Your doctor can prescribe erythropoietin (EPO) which will stimulate your bone marrow so that you can make extra red blood cells. This would be useful if your anemia is due to kidney problems, cancer, or due to the treatments you are receiving for them. If your anemia is getting out of control, you may need a blood transfusion.
How to raise red blood count?
If you have a mild case of this type of anemia, you may be able to raise your red blood count by adding iron supplements to your daily regimen, and you may also need folate and / or vitamin B-12 . There are some people who are unable to process vitamin B-12 no matter how much they take. Check with your doctor if this is the case in your situation.
What causes aplastic anemia?
Causes of aplastic anemia include infections, certain medicines, autoimmune diseases and exposure to toxic chemicals. Anemias associated with bone marrow disease. A variety of diseases, such as leukemia and myelofibrosis, can cause anemia by affecting blood production in your bone marrow.
How to prevent anemia?
Treatments for anemia range from taking supplements to undergoing medical procedures. You might be able to prevent some types of anemia by eating a healthy, varied diet.
How to avoid iron deficiency anemia?
But you can avoid iron deficiency anemia and vitamin deficiency anemias by eating a diet that includes a variety of vitamins and minerals, including: Iron. Iron-rich foods include beef and other meats, beans, lentils, iron-fortified cereals, dark green leafy vegetables, and dried fruit. Folate.
What causes low red blood cells?
Vitamin deficiency anemia. Besides iron, your body needs folate and vitamin B-12 to produce enough healthy red blood cells. A diet lacking in these and other key nutrients can cause decreased red blood cell production. Some people who consume enough B-12 aren't able to absorb the vitamin. This can lead to vitamin deficiency anemia, also known as pernicious anemia.
What is the best vitamin for red blood cells?
Besides iron, your body needs folate and vitamin B-12 to produce enough healthy red blood cells. A diet lacking in these and other key nutrients can cause decreased red blood cell production. Also, some people who consume enough B-12 aren't able to absorb the vitamin.
Why does my body not make enough red blood cells?
Anemia occurs when your blood doesn't have enough red blood cells. This can happen if: Your body doesn't make enough red blood cells. Bleeding causes you to lose red blood cells more quickly than they can be replaced. Your body destroys red blood cells.
What causes blood loss in the stomach?
It is also caused by blood loss, such as from heavy menstrual bleeding, an ulcer, cancer and regular use of some over-the-counter pain relievers, especially aspirin, which can cause inflammation of the stomach lining resulting in blood loss. Vitamin deficiency anemia.
Overview
Normocytic anemia is a type of anemia and is a common issue that occurs for men and women typically over 85 years old. Its prevalence increases with age, reaching 44 percent in men older than 85 years. The most common type of normocytic anemia is anemia of chronic disease.
Classification
A normocytic anemia is when the red blood cells are of normal size. Normocytic anemia is defined when the mean corpuscular volume (MCV) is between 80 and 100 femtolitres (fL), which is within the normal and expected range. However, the hematocrit and hemoglobin are decreased. In contrast, microcytic anemias are defined as an anemia with a mean corpuscular volume (MCV) less than 80 fL and macrocytic anemias have a mean corpuscular volume over 100 fL.
Diagnosis
To aid with determining the underlying cause of the normocytic anemia, a lab test is done on reticulocyte count. A reticulocyte count that is high, normal or low will aid with the classification process. A high reticulocyte count signifies that bone marrow processes are normal. A low reticulocyte count would signify there is a problem at the level of the bone marrow which produce the stem cells. Acute blood loss would result in a high reticulocyte count as bone marrow proce…
Causes
The issue is thought of as representing any of the following:
• An acute loss of blood of a substantial volume;
• a decreased production of normal-sized red blood cells (e.g., anemia of chronic disease, aplastic anemia);
• an increased production of HbS as seen in sickle cell disease (not sickle cell trait);
Treatment
Treatment will depend on the cause of the normocytic anemia. Treatment for anemia due to chronic diseases, such as kidney disease, focus on healing the primary condition first. Dietary foods or supplements should be added if anemia is due to a lack of a particular vitamin. Erythropoietin may be considered if anemia is severe. Erythropoietin will stimulate the bone marrow to make more blood cells.
External links
• Entry on aafp.org