What is the MCV presentation in anemia of chronic disease?

The mean corpuscular volume (MCV) presentation in anemia of chronic disease is typically normal. Anemia of chronic disease is often seen in patients with chronic infections, inflammatory diseases, or malignancies, and is characterized by a reduction in red blood cell production. This type of anemia usually leads to normocytic anemia, which means that the red blood cells are of normal size, causing the MCV to fall within the normal range.

In this condition, the underlying inflammation can result in altered iron metabolism and erythropoiesis, but it does not typically cause the red blood cells to shrink (as seen in iron deficiency anemia where MCV is low) or to become enlarged (as could happen in vitamin B12 or folate deficiencies). Therefore, the MCV remains at a normal level, indicating that while there is anemia present, the size of the red blood cells remains unchanged in most cases of anemia of chronic disease.