Question

Anemia of chronic disease is characterized by increased ferritin, which is an important distinguishing feature from iron deficiency anemia. What is another distinguishing feature of anemia of chronic disease?

1) Decreased total iron-binding capacity
2) Increased red blood cell count
3) Decreased mean corpuscular volume
4) Increased transferrin saturation

Answer 1

Anemia of chronic disease is characterized by increased ferritin and decreased total iron-binding capacity (TIBC).

Step-by-step explanation:

The distinguishing feature of anemia of chronic disease, apart from increased ferritin, is decreased total iron-binding capacity (TIBC). TIBC refers to the amount of iron that can be bound by transferrin, a protein that transports iron in the blood. In anemia of chronic disease, TIBC is typically decreased due to reduced availability of transferrin. In contrast, iron deficiency anemia is characterized by decreased ferritin levels and increased TIBC.