About This Column
Here you'll find advice on how to take a more comprehensive approach toward managing your rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Keep in mind, this column is intended to advise you on how to complement your treatment, not replace it. Please consult your doctor to determine what advice may be right for you.
Featured Article
Anemia & RA Part 1: An overview
Oct 21, 2009
For the next 2 weeks, I want to discuss anemia—a condition that affects approximately 30%-60% of people with RA. If you have both conditions, it's important to treat them both. There is evidence that people with anemia and RA have more affected joints and higher levels of pain and physical disability. My hope is that these articles will help you have an informed discussion about anemia with your rheumatologist.
What is anemia?
Simply put, anemia is a low level of red blood cells or hemoglobin in the blood. The main job of red blood cells is to transport the oxygen you breathe from your lungs to the cells throughout your body. And hemoglobin is the molecule that carries oxygen in the red blood cells. When you have too few red blood cells or too little hemoglobin, your body's cells don't get as much oxygen as they should. Often, people with anemia feel tired or weak. The possible symptoms of anemia include:
Fatigue
Pale skin
Brittle nails
Chest pain
Dizziness
Irritability
Coldness of hands or feet
Trouble breathing
Fast or irregular heartbeat
Headache
Fuzzy thinking
Loss of concentration
Depression
Loss of sex drive
Decreased work performance
Desire to eat ice or other peculiar things
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, you should make your rheumatologist aware of them.
Types of anemia found in people with RA
RA is often associated with the joints, but it can also affect the blood. And as a result, anemia can occur. There are many types of anemia, but the 2 most common in people with RA are:
Anemia of chronic disease (ACD). ACD is found in more than two-thirds of the anemia cases associated with RA. It primarily affects the body's ability to make red blood cells
Iron-deficiency anemia (IDA). IDA occurs in less than one quarter of the cases associated with RA. A lack of iron, which is needed to make hemoglobin, can contribute to this type of anemia. IDA is not part of RA or a consequence of RA. But sometimes, it can be a side effect of certain medicines used to treat RA. For more information, talk with your rheumatologist
To make matters more complex, some people have both types of anemia at the same time. Luckily, there are ways to manage both ACD and IDA. Next week, we will explain how doctors diagnose and treat these types of anemia. Stay tuned.
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