**4.3.1 Discussion**

This boy presented with an acquired moderate anemia that was severely microcytic. As with the previous two cases, chronic slow gastrointestinal bleeding is the likely cause, leading to iron loss, eventually leading to depletion of stores of iron and the characteristic anemia. A full discussion of the pathophysiology and therapy of Crohn's disease and inflammatory bowel disease is beyond the scope of this chapter but the hematologic manifestations are likely due to the slow blood loss, although the anemia of inflammation may play a role as well.
