Department of Haematology and Oncology, University Medical Centre, Freiburg, Germany. jens.leifert@uniklinik-freiburg.de
Cigarette smoking causes numerous diseases that are associated with anaemia but the resulting low haemoglobin levels may be counterbalanced by increased red blood cell production caused by chronic exposure to carbon monoxide from cigarette smoke. Diverse mechanisms are involved in influencing the development or the course of anaemic disease in smokers. This article presents an evaluation of the current literature on the impact of cigarette smoking on various forms of anaemia.