rheumatoid arthritis and anemia

Possible causes of anemia in a patient with rheumatoidHow does rheumatoid arthritis cause anemia? Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition that causes inflammation in the lining of the joints. People who have rheumatoid arthritis sometimes develop other conditions, such as anemia. is a condition that causes a low count of red blood cells and insufficient levels of hemoglobin, a protein that carries oxygen. Anemia can cause symptoms that can add to weakness and that people with experience sometimes. However, treatments are available to help reduce the symptoms of anemia. In this article, we look at how rheumatoid arthritis and anemia could be related. We also cover how doctors diagnose and treat anemia when related to rheumatoid arthritis. According to some estimates, people with rheumatoid arthritis develop anemia. Different types of anemia may affect people with rheumatoid arthritis. These types include: Someone may have a combination of chronic disease anemia and iron deficiency anemia. There are several different ways in which rheumatoid arthritis can cause anemia. A potential cause is medications that people use to treat rheumatoid arthritis, which may include steroids or metotrexate. These medications can cause lesions in the intestine membranes. This damage can make the body less capable of digesting iron, which can lead to anemia. Some people with rheumatoid arthritis may take medicines to suppress the immune system, such as azatyoprine or cyclphosphamide. A side effect of this type of medication is reduced production, and it is the bone marrow that produces red blood cells. Rheumatoid arthritis can result in the reduction of the useful life of red blood cells. This could lead to anemia if the body cannot produce new red blood cells at a sufficient rate. Understanding these links between rheumatoid arthritis and anemia is crucial. Doctors should know the underlying cause of anemia to recommend appropriate treatments. When a person has mild anemia, he may feel normal. However, if your blood count starts to get too low and leads to a reduced ability to transport oxygen across the body, you are likely to experience symptoms. Examples of anemia symptoms are: A person with rheumatoid arthritis may think that their anemia symptoms are due to their . This is especially true for weakness and fatigue, which both conditions can cause. To begin the diagnosis, the doctor will take the medical history of the person and ask them about their symptoms. If the doctor suspects anemia, he is likely to recommend blood tests. In addition to measuring hemoglobin levels and red blood cells, the doctor will also order tests to measure the levels of certain chemicals in the blood. These include: This information can help a doctor understand why a person may have anemia, as well as what type of anemia they may have. Treatment for anemia related to rheumatoid arthritis will depend on its cause. Using medications to manage symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis can often help with anemia in turn. Examples of these medicines include antireumatic disease modifiers (DMARD) or steroids, such as prednisone. Doctors will classify the DMARDs as traditional or biological. These medicines are highly specific and are aimed at affecting the function of the immune system. DMARDs can reduce in people with rheumatoid arthritis. Minimizing inflammatory response can improve symptoms for people with chronic disease anemia. If a person has iron deficiency anemia, a doctor may recommend iron supplements or iron infusions. For megaloblastic anemia, folic acid and vitamin B-12 are possible treatments. For some people with rheumatoid arthritis, doctors might recommend a medication called human recombinant erythropoietin (EPO) to treat anemia. EPO is similar to the erythropoietin natural hormone that stimulates the production of red blood cells. In 2013, researchers from three clinical trials that provided EPOs to people with rheumatoid arthritis and anemia. Researchers found that EPO injection helped increase hemoglobin levels in two of the studies. However, the studies included were very small and did not share much security information. As a result, researchers were unable to claim that EPO is a good treatment for rheumatoid arthritis-related anemia. In some cases, there may be a need for a change of medication for rheumatoid arthritis. People should never stop taking their medications from their own accord, but a doctor may recommend changing to a medication that is less likely to cause anemia. Although anemia can often occur along with rheumatoid arthritis, doctors may prescribe various treatments to improve a person's red blood cell counts. Treating moderate to severe anemia can help a person with rheumatoid arthritis feel more energetic and avoid other symptoms of anemia. Anyone who has rheumatoid arthritis and is concerned that they may also have anemia should talk to your doctor. Last medical review on August 30, 2018Most recent newsRelated coverage

COVID-19 is an emerging and rapidly evolving situation. Account name Save an appointment to archive E-mail citation Add to Collections Add to My Bibliography Your search saved Create a file for external dating management software Your RSS Feed Full text links Actions Share Page navigation Prevalence and results of anemia in rheumatoid arthritis: a systematic review of literature Membership Prevalence and results of anemia in rheumatoid arthritis: a systematic review of literature Authors Membership Summary Anemia is a common comorbidity in individuals with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In fact, the anaemia of the type characterized by low concentrations of serum iron in conjunction with adequate iron shops is frequently associated with the RA and has served as a model for chronic disease anemia. A systematic search of scientific literature published since January 1966 identified 19 articles that reported findings on the prevalence of anemia in patients with RR or results for patients with anemia and RR. Ten articles treated the prevalence of anemia in patients with RR. Estimates of the prevalence of mild anemia ranged from 33% to 60%; however, the 2 studies that examined demography in patients with RF did not identify subpopulations in particular risk of anemia. Twelve articles assessed the impact of anemia resolution on symptoms and quality of life (QOL) on patients with RA. For many of the parameters evaluated, including swollen, painful and tender joints, pain, muscle strength and energy levels, a positive correlation was observed between the improvement of symptoms and the resolution of anemia. In addition, 2 studies reported a significant improvement in QOL scores in patients with RA who experienced a response to treatment for anemia. These results suggest that (1) patients with AR who have anemia probably have a more severe joint disease and (2) if the anemia is successfully treated, the joint disease will likely respond to treatment as well. It is to be determined whether improvements in the symptoms of QOL and/or joint occur with the improvement of anemia, independent of other signs of a general response to RA therapy. Similar articles Cited by 27 articles Types of publication MeSH Terms Substances Related information Link Out - more resources Total Text SourcesMedicalNCBI Literacy resources National Library of Medicine

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