What is Anaemia?
This is a condition where there can be increased health risks to the world’s population. It is probably best defined as a reduced haemoglobin concentration which will reduce the amount of oxygen available to the body’s tissues and organs. (WHO 2015)
Is anaemia classified as a disease in its own right? Haemoglobin levels reveal whether anaemia is present or not, but anaemia is a manifestation of an underlying disease process. There are many causes for a low haemoglobin:
Low circulating haemoglobin levels from bleeding caused by trauma and surgical procedures. Bleeding can also occur frequently from the GI tract, GU tract and other areas.
Nutritional deficit will also cause anaemia. Iron deficiency is the most common worldwide cause. Vitamin B12, Folate Vitamin A and Riboflavin are required in the production of red cells.
Reduced production of red blood cells will lower haemoglobin levels, an example is reduced erythropoietin production in chronic kidney disease.
Increased destruction of red cells caused by haemolysis will cause anaemia. Reduced red cell life span will lower haemoglobin levels, which can be caused by increased urea levels. (Macdougall, 2001).
Other causes for anaemia may be chronic inflammation and infections, inherited conditions such as haemoglobinopathies. It should be remembered that some medications required to treat other conditions can have a detrimental effect on haemoglobin levels.
Range of normal and abnormal haemoglobin levels
Anaemia | Anaemia | Anaemia | ||
Population | Non - Anaemia | Mild | Moderate | Severe |
Children: 6 – 59 months | Greater than | 100.0 – 109.0g/L | 70.0g/L – 99.0g/L | Less than 70.0g/L |
Children: 5- 11 years | Greater than | 11.0g/L – 104.0g/L | 80.0g/L – 109.0g/L | Less than 80.0g/L |
Children 12 – 14 years | Greater than | 110.0g/L – 119.0g/L | 80.0g/L – 109.0g/L | Less than 80.0g/L |
Non Pregnant women (15 years and above) | Greater than | 110.0g/L – 119.0g/L | 80.0g/L – 109.0g/L | Less than 80.0g/L |
Pregnant Women | Greater than | 100.0 – 109.0g/L | 70.0g/L – 99.0g/L | Less than 70.0g/L |
Men (15 years and above) | Greater than | 110.0g/L – 129.0g/L | 80.0g/L – 109.0g/L | Less than 80.0g/L |
Table adapted from WHO/NMH/NHD/MNM/11.1.2011
Reference:
Macdougall IC, Role of Uremic toxins in exacerbating anemia in renal failure, Kidney International, Volume 59,Suppl 78 (2001), pp S67 – S72
Macdougall IC , Pocket Reference to Renal Anemia, DOI: 10.1007/978-1-907673-48-1_2,Springer Healthcare 2013
Meyer, T.W. and Hostetter, T.H., 2007. Uremia. New England Journal of Medicine, 357(13), pp.1316-1325.
Vos FE, Schollum JB, Coulter CV, Doyle TC, Duffull SB, Walker RJ., Red blood cell survival in long-term dialysis patients. Am J Kidney Dis. 2011 Oct; 58(4): 591-8. doi: 10.1053/j.ajkd.2011.03.031. Epub 2011 Jun 29.
WHO. The global prevalence of anaemia in 2011. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2015