Diagnostic Considerations

See the list below:

Neonatal considerations (hematocrit >65%)
Normal intrauterine environment
Delayed cord clamping
Twin-twin transfusion
Maternal-fetal transfusion
Infant of a diabetic mother
Maternal smoking
Maternal heart disease
Maternal preeclampsia/eclampsia
Placental insufficiency
Maternal propranolol use
Intrauterine growth retardation
Neonatal thyroid toxicosis
Congenital adrenal hyperplasia
Trisomy 21, trisomy 13, trisomy 18
Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome
Hypoxemia
Altitude
Cardiac disease (right to left shunt)
Lung disease (chronic obstructive lung disease, sleep apnea)
Central hypoventilation
Hemoglobinopathy
High–oxygen affinity variety
Methemoglobin reductase deficiency
Chronic carbon monoxide exposure
Erythropoietin-producing tumors
Malignant tumor (eg, renal carcinoma, Wilms tumor, hepatomas, adrenal tumors, cerebellar hemangioblastomas)
Renal disease (eg, cysts, hydronephrosis, benign renal tumors)
Adrenal disease (eg, virilizing hyperplasia, Cushing syndrome)
Anabolic steroid use
Familial/congenital polycythemia
2,3-Bisphosphoglycerate deficiency
Chuvash polycythemia
Relative erythrocytosis
Secondary to decreased plasma volume as with severe dehydration

Differential Diagnoses

Workup

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Media Gallery

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.

of 1

Author

May C Chien, MD Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology, Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Associate Director, Hematology Block, Science of Medicine Course, Stanford University School of Medicine

May C Chien, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Pediatrics, American College of Physicians, American Society of Clinical Oncology, American Society of Hematology, American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Children's Oncology Group, Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Honor Society

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Kathleen M Sakamoto, MD, PhD Shelagh Galligan Professor, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine

Kathleen M Sakamoto, MD, PhD is a member of the following medical societies: American Association for Cancer Research, American Society of Hematology, American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, International Society for Experimental Hematology, Society for Pediatric Research, Western Society for Pediatric Research

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

Mary L Windle, PharmD Adjunct Associate Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Editor-in-Chief, Medscape Drug Reference

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

James L Harper, MD Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology/Oncology and Bone Marrow Transplantation, Associate Chairman for Education, Department of Pediatrics, University of Nebraska Medical Center; Associate Clinical Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Creighton University School of Medicine; Director, Continuing Medical Education, Children's Memorial Hospital; Pediatric Director, Nebraska Regional Hemophilia Treatment Center

James L Harper, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, American Federation for Clinical Research, Council on Medical Student Education in Pediatrics, Hemophilia and Thrombosis Research Society, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Association for Cancer Research, American Society of Hematology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Lawrence C Wolfe, MD Associate Chief for Hematology and Safety, Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Cohen Children's Medical Center

Lawrence C Wolfe, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Association of Blood Banks, American Society of Hematology, Children's Oncology Group, Eastern Society for Pediatric Research

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Additional Contributors

Scott S MacGilvray, MD Clinical Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, The Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University

Scott S MacGilvray, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Pediatrics

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Joseph K Park, MD, PhD Paul and Yuanbi Ramsay Endowed Postdoctoral Fellow, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Krysta D Schlis, MD Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, Stanford University School of Medicine

Krysta D Schlis, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Society of Hematology, American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Acknowledgements

Kristin Baird, MD Staff Clinician, Pediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Sun H Choo, MD Resident Physician, Department of Pediatrics, University of California, Los Angeles, David Geffen School of Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.