PRESENTED BY:

Polycythemia TAQWA ABDUL ALBASIT

SULTAN
SUPERVISED BY: DR.
MAYSAM NAJI
INTRODUCTION

• Polycythemia is a condition characterized by an abnormal rise in red blood cells in the body. This increase manifests
through increased lev els of hemoglobin abov e the normal lev els for the person’s age and gender.
• According to the Red Cross, normal hemoglobin lev els for males assigned at birth (MAAB) are 13.5-17.5 grams per
deciliter (g/dL). For females assigned at birth (FAAB), the range is 12.0-15.5 g/dL.
• Another way to look at it is by looking at the percentage that red blood cells make up in the blood. In adult MAABs,
this should be 41-50%, whereas in FAABs the range is 36%-44%.
• The ranges for children, older adults, and people who are pregnant v ary. The ranges can also v ary based on
geographic location, ethnicity, and altitude. In newborns, doctors will suspect polycythemia if their v alues are 65%
and abov e 22 g/dLTrusted Source
 main cause of polycythemia

• Primary polycythemia
• Primary polycythemia is also called polycythemia vera (PV).
• PV is a rare, slow-growing blood cancer that is a type of condition known as a myeloproliferative neoplasm. PV causes the
bone marrow to create excess precursor blood cells that develop and function abnormally, leading to the production of too
many red blood cells.
• A person with PV may also have increased numbers of other blood cells, such as white blood cells or platelets.

• Secondary polycythemia
• Secondary polycythemia can occur if the increase in red blood cells is not due to the myeloproliferative disease of PV.
• The overproduction of blood cells in secondary polycythemia is limited to the red blood cells.
• Causes of secondary polycythemia include:
• being at a very high altitude
• obstructive sleep apnea
• certain types of tumor
• heart or lung disease that causes a low oxygen level in the body
Risk factors

• Some people may be more at risk than others of primary polycythemia. The National Center for Advancing
Translational Sciences notes that most cases of PV appear as a person ages, usually around the age of 60 years. They
also note that it is more common in men than in women.
• PV is not necessarily hereditary, and most people with the disease do not have a family history of PV. Howev er, there
appears to be a connection to a certain genetic mutation.
• The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society notes that almost all indiv iduals with PV have a mutation in the Janus kinase 2
(JAK2) gene. Howev er, the precise role that it plays in the condition is still unclear.
• Other gene mutations, such as that of the TET2 gene, may also have an association with this condition. Most of the
time, these genes are not hereditary, but in some rare cases, they may pass from a parent to their child in the sperm
or egg.
• Anyone with a family history of PV may still wish to see a doctor for an ev aluation
the symptoms of polycythemia

• The symptoms of PV may become more apparent over time. More common symptoms include:
• dizziness or vertigo
• headaches
• excessive sweating
• itchy skin
• ringing in the ears
• blurred vision
• fatigue
• reddish or purplish skin on the palms, earlobes, and nose
• bleeding or bruising
• a burning sensation in the feet
• abdominal fullness
• frequent nosebleeds
• bleeding gums
polycythemia diagnosed

• Blood tests
• Blood tests, such as a complete blood count, will rev eal any increase in red blood cells or hemoglobin in the
bloodstream, as well as any abnormal lev els of platelets and white blood cells. If PV seems possible, a doctor will
order more specific blood tests.

• Bone marrow biopsy

• If necessary, the doctor may also want to remov e some bone marrow on which to perform tests in a lab.
• A bone marrow biopsy inv olves taking a small sample of the bone marrow with a needle for examination under a
microscope.

• Genetic tests
• Although genetic causes of PV are rare, doctors may also want to analyze the person’s bone marrow for genetic
mutations that have links to PV.
• They may also recommend examining cells in the blood for JAK2 mutation.
 polycythemia treated

• Treatment for polycythemia will dependTrusted Source on the underlying cause of the condition.
• In people with secondary polycythemia resulting from causes such as obstructive sleep apnea, treating the underlying
cause should help resolv e the high red blood cell count.
• PV, howev er, is a chronic condition that has no known cure. The treatment for PV aims to manage the condition by
reducing both the red blood cell count and the risk of complications, such as blood clots. If the platelet count is too high,
there are ways to treat this as well.
• Treatment options for PV can include:

• Phlebotomy To help manage the condition, doctors will look to reduce the red blood cell count through a process
called phlebotomy, which manually remov es blood through one of the v eins.
• Depending on the indiv idual case, doctors will recommend remov ing a certain amount of blood at set interv als to get
the red blood cell count closer to normal lev els.

• Drugs to reduce blood cells

• Sometimes, phlebotomy is not enough to control blood cell growth. Doctors may then recommend myelosuppressiv e
drugs to help control blood cell counts.
• These drugs include hydroxyurea (Hydrea), which suppresses the bone marrow to keep it from producing as many blood
cells.