Which laboratory finding is consistent with anemia of chronic disease?

Anemia of chronic disease is characterized by specific laboratory findings that reflect the body's acute or chronic inflammatory states. One of the most prominent and consistent findings in this condition is low serum iron. In anemia of chronic disease, inflammation leads to the sequestration of iron due to increased hepcidin production, which reduces the availability of iron for erythropoiesis despite the body's iron stores often being normal or increased.

This low serum iron, combined with normal or low total iron-binding capacity (TIBC) and normal ferritin levels, helps to distinguish anemia of chronic disease from iron deficiency anemia. In iron deficiency anemia, serum iron is also low, but TIBC is typically elevated as the body attempts to absorb more iron to increase iron availability for hematopoiesis.

Thus, the finding of low serum iron in the context of chronic disease supports the diagnosis of anemia of chronic disease. Understanding these patterns in laboratory values is crucial for differentiating between types of anemia and guiding appropriate treatment approaches.