What is a common cause of normochromic normocytic anemia?

Normochromic normocytic anemia is characterized by red blood cells that are normal in size and hemoglobin content but are present in reduced numbers. One of the common causes of this type of anemia is end-stage renal disease (ESRD).

In individuals with ESRD, the kidneys are unable to produce adequate amounts of erythropoietin, a hormone that stimulates the production of red blood cells in the bone marrow. This deficiency leads to reduced red blood cell production, which results in anemia. Additionally, patients with kidney failure often have other contributing factors, such as increased blood loss, nutritional deficiencies, or bone marrow suppression, which further exacerbate their anemic condition.

In contrast, other options presented in the question are associated with different forms of anemia. Iron deficiency typically leads to microcytic anemia, folate deficiency is more commonly linked to macrocytic anemia, and chronic disease can sometimes cause anemia but may be of a different classification depending on the underlying pathology. Thus, end-stage renal disease stands out as a prevalent cause of normochromic normocytic anemia due to its direct impact on erythropoietin production and red blood cell turnover.