Polycythemia Vera

Abstract

CURRENTLY, polycythemia vera is considered by most hematologists to fall in the category of myeloproliferative disorders, a classification that also includes chronic myelocytic leukemia, erythremic myelosis, myelofibrosis, agnogenic myeloid metaplasia and megakaryocytic myelosis. In this group of diseases there is excessive production of all the bone-marrow elements, but the presenting clinical picture is determined by the predominance of one element. In polycythemia vera, also known as primary polycythemia, or erythremia, it is the excessive production of red blood cells with the attendant increase in blood volume and blood viscosity that produces the characteristic clinical and laboratory features of this disease, . . .