title: The blood in systemic disorders.
abstract: * The high rate of proliferation required of the bone marrow renders it highly susceptible to the influence of external factors. * Anaemia is the most common haematological abnormality seen in systemic disorders. * In the anaemia of chronic disease, erythropoietin production is reduced and proliferation of erythroid progenitor cells is also impaired; this anaemia can generally be alleviated by correction of the underlying disease process. * The status of the endocrine system must always be considered in evaluation of a normocytic, normochromic anaemia. * Anaemia in infection can be due to host or parasite factors or to the treatment administered. * Anaemia due to malignant disease responds to erythropoietin therapy in many cases; failure to respond is a poor prognostic sign.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. jlspivak@mail.jhmi.edu
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Spivak
mesh_terms: D000740:Anemia / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000097:blood; D006452:Hemoglobinometry; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D004921:Erythropoietin