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Last Updated on March 27, 2023 by Shabnam Sengupta
Anaemia happens when your red blood cells are in short supply. Red blood cells carry oxygen from your lungs to all parts of your body, giving you the energy that you need for your daily activities. In this article, we will discuss whether chronic kidney disease causes anaemia and how.
Can anemia be a complication of chronic kidney disease?
Yes. Anaemia is a common complication of chronic kidney disease (CKD). The kidneys are damaged and can’t filter blood the way they should. It can cause wastes and fluid to build up in your body. Anaemia is less common in early kidney disease. It often worsens as kidney disease progresses, and more kidney function is lost. It is also called anaemia of renal disease.
According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disorders, it is common in people with CKD, especially those with more advanced kidney disease. More than 37 million American adults may have CKD. It is estimated that more than 1 out of every seven people with kidney disease have anaemia.
When kidney damage is so advanced that less than 15 percent of the kidney is working, people also develop anaemia. It is more common in patients with co-morbidities, such as high blood sugar, high blood pressure, old age, heart disease, and African American ethnicity.
How can chronic kidney disease cause anemia?
According to the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, the development of anemia in chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a complex phenomenon resulting from multiple factors, including inadequate production of erythropoietin, which is a hormone synthesized by the kidney that stimulates red blood cell production in the bone marrow, shortened survival of red blood cells, and disrupted regulation of iron metabolism. Current research has revealed that the primary cause of anemia in CKD is an excess of hepcidin, a hormone that regulates iron metabolism and is produced by the liver. This excess of hepcidin inhibits the absorption of dietary iron and the release of stored iron in the body, thus contributing to the development of anemia in CKD patients.
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