OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the impact of anaemia on healthcare resource utilisation and work productivity in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) stages 3 and 4, and patients on dialysis.   METHODS: A descriptive, cross-sectional analysis was performed using data from the Adelphi CKD Disease Specific Programme in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and UK between June and September 2012. Healthcare resource utilisation data was extracted from patient self-completion questionnaires and physician-completed patient record forms. Absenteeism and work-related activity impairment data were obtained from the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment questionnaire. RESULTS: A total of 1336 patient self-completed questionnaires were received from an evaluable population of 2898 CKD patients (stage 3, 4, and on dialysis). Across all patient sub-groups, anaemic patients accrued more nephrologist visits over 12 months, compared to non-anaemic patients (2.7 vs. 1.1). Anaemic patients also experienced a higher number of visits to a general practitioner (3.5 vs. 2.9). Stratification of the data, by haemoglobin (Hb) level and dialysis status, revealed that the number of all-cause hospitalisations was consistently higher for patients with Hb levels of <10 g/dL, compared to those with Hb levels of ≥12 g/dL, irrespective of dialysis treatment (0.7 vs. 0.2 and 0.9 vs. 0.5 admissions for non-dialysis and dialysis subjects, respectively). Anaemic CKD stage 4 and dialysis patients <65 years, had higher rates of work absenteeism compared with non-anaemic patients (3.6% vs. 2.4% stage 4 and 14.6% vs. 7.6% dialysis). Anaemia caused greater activity impairment (whilst working) among CKD stage 3 patients (23.6% anaemic vs. 14.7%) and stage 4 patients (26.4% anaemic vs. 20.0%), compared with dialysis patients (37.2% anaemic vs. 44.6%). CONCLUSIONS: Anaemia may have a substantial impact on healthcare resource utilisation and work productivity in patients with CKD. Further studies are warranted to evaluate the humanistic impact and direct economic burden of anaemia in CKD.