Diagnostic Considerations

Polycythemia is characterized by increased cell counts in all cell lines in the myeloid series (ie, red blood cells, white blood cells [preferentially granulocytes], and platelets). Thus, conditions that involve individual cell lines, such as the following, must be excluded:

Erythrocytosis - Causes include secondary polycythemia (an increase in red blood cell [RBC] counts, typically due to chronic hypoxemia), familial erythrocythemia, and relative polycythemia (a benign condition in which RBC numbers are normal but plasma volume is contracted, due to dehydration or to reduced venous compliance).
Granulocytosis from infections or mobilization by secondary causes, as in leukemoid reactions
Thrombocytosis from bleeding and iron deficiency

Diagnostic laboratory tests have been developed to increase the ability to identify primary myeloproliferative diseases (MPDs) and to differentiate them from reactive conditions associated with increased blood cell levels, which can mimic MPDs. Once an MPD (Philadelphia chromosome negative [Ph–]) is documented, it must be differentiated from the following conditions, which have manifestations that overlap with polycythemia vera (PV):

Differential Diagnoses

Workup

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Media Gallery

Bone marrow film at 100X magnification demonstrating hypercellularity and increased number of megakaryocytes. Courtesy of U. Woermann, MD, Division of Instructional Media, Institute for Medical Education, University of Bern, Switzerland.
Blood film at 400X magnification demonstrating polyglobulia and thrombocytosis. Courtesy of U. Woermann, MD, Division of Instructional Media, Institute for Medical Education, University of Bern, Switzerland.
Bone marrow film at 400X magnification demonstrating dominance of erythropoiesis. Courtesy of U. Woermann, MD, Division of Instructional Media, Institute for Medical Education, University of Bern, Switzerland.
This blood film at 10,000X magnification shows a giant platelet and an eosinophil. Erythrocytes show signs of hypochromia as a result of repeated phlebotomies. Courtesy of U. Woermann, MD, Division of Instructional Media, Institute for Medical Education, University of Bern, Switzerland.

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Author

Srikanth Nagalla, MD, MS, FACP Chief of Benign Hematology, Miami Cancer Institute, Baptist Health South Florida; Clinical Professor of Medicine, Florida International University, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine

Srikanth Nagalla, MD, MS, FACP is a member of the following medical societies: American Society of Hematology, Association of Specialty Professors

Disclosure: Serve(d) as a director, officer, partner, employee, advisor, consultant or trustee for: Alexion; Alnylam; Kedrion; Sanofi; Dova; Apellis; Pharmacosmos<br/>Serve(d) as a speaker or a member of a speakers bureau for: Sobi; Sanofi; Rigel.

Coauthor(s)

Emmanuel C Besa, MD Professor Emeritus, Department of Medicine, Division of Hematologic Malignancies and Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, Kimmel Cancer Center, Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University

Emmanuel C Besa, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Association for Cancer Education, American Society of Clinical Oncology, American College of Clinical Pharmacology, American Federation for Medical Research, American Society of Hematology, New York Academy of Sciences

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Editor-in-Chief, Medscape Drug Reference

Disclosure: Received salary from Medscape for employment. for: Medscape.

Chief Editor

Sara J Grethlein, MD, MBA, FACP Executive Medical Director and Medical Oncologist, Swedish Cancer Institute

Sara J Grethlein, MD, MBA, FACP is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American College of Physicians, American Medical Women's Association, American Society of Clinical Oncology, American Society of Hematology, Gold Humanism Honor Society, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Additional Contributors

Karen Seiter, MD Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Oncology/Hematology, New York Medical College

Karen Seiter, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Association for Cancer Research, American College of Physicians, American Society of Hematology

Disclosure: Received honoraria from Novartis for speaking and teaching; Received consulting fee from Novartis for speaking and teaching; Received honoraria from Celgene for speaking and teaching.