The disease used to be called anemia of chronic inflammation because the underlying cause anemia is the continuous inflammation generated by chronic disease, which impairs iron metabolism and, in turn, RBC production.

这种疾病过去被称为慢性炎症性贫血，由于该类贫血的根本原因是慢性疾病引起的持续炎症；这会影响铁的代谢，进而影响红细胞的生成。