The most common causes of secondary polycythemia include obstructive sleep apnea, obesity hypoventilation syndrome, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Other causes include testosterone replacement therapy and heavy cigarette smoking.

What are some factors that might cause polycythemia?

  • a history of blood clots.
  • being over age 60.
  • high blood pressure.
  • diabetes.
  • smoking.
  • high cholesterol.
  • pregnancy.

What are the signs and symptoms of polycythemia?

  • Lack of energy (fatigue) or weakness.
  • Headache.
  • Dizziness.
  • Shortness of breath and trouble breathing while lying down.
  • Vision problems, such as double vision, blurred vision, and blind spots.
  • Inability to concentrate.
  • Night sweats.
  • Face and becomes red and warm (flushed)

What could polycythemia be diagnosed with?

Complete Blood Count (CBC) Polycythemia vera is often diagnosed based on a routine CBC. Hemoglobin is the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen. Hematocrit is a reflection of the volume of red blood cells in your blood. These measures are abnormal in polycythemia vera.

What causes thickening of the blood?

Thick blood is caused by heavy proteins, or by too much blood in the circulation. Too many red cells, white cells, and platelets will result in blood thickening. Another cause is an imbalance in the blood clotting system.

What is MCV in blood test?

MCV stands for mean corpuscular volume. There are three main types of corpuscles (blood cells) in your blood–red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. An MCV blood test measures the average size of your red blood cells, also known as erythrocytes.

Does polycythemia show up in blood work?

If you have polycythemia vera, blood tests might reveal: More red blood cells than normal and, sometimes, an increase in platelets or white blood cells. A greater percentage of red blood cells that make up total blood volume (hematocrit measurement)

What level indicates polycythemia?

In polycythemia, the levels of hemoglobin (Hgb), hematocrit (Hct), or the red blood cell (RBC) count may be elevated when measured in the complete blood count (CBC), as compared to normal. Hemoglobin levels greater than 16.5 g/dL (grams per deciliter) in women and greater than 18.5 g/dL in men suggest polycythemia.

What is the difference between polycythemia vera and polycythemia?

Polycythemia, also called erythrocytosis, refers to an increase in red blood cell mass, noted on laboratory evaluation as increased hemoglobin and hematocrit levels. Polycythemia vera is a subtype of polycythemia and is associated with the overproduction of all 3 cell lines.

What causes high RBC HGB and HCT?

Medical conditions that can cause high hemoglobin levels include: Polycythemia vera (the bone marrow produces too many red blood cells) Lung diseases such as COPD, emphysema or pulmonary fibrosis (lung tissue becomes scarred) Heart disease, especially congenital heart disease (the baby is born with it)

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Does polycythemia cause inflammation?

Problems due to high levels of red blood cells. Too many red blood cells can lead to a number of other complications, including open sores on the inside lining of your stomach, upper small intestine or esophagus (peptic ulcers) and inflammation in your joints (gout).

Does polycythemia cause fatigue?

A variety of symptoms can occur in individuals with polycythemia vera including nonspecific symptoms such as headaches, fatigue, weakness, dizziness or itchy skin; an enlarged spleen (splenomegaly); a variety of gastrointestinal issues; and the risk of blood clot formation, which may prevent blood flow to vital organs.

Does polycythemia cause high blood pressure?

Weakness, headaches, visual disturbances, and a sense of “fullness” in the head and in the left upper abdomen may also be associated with the condition. Some people may have high blood pressure. Polycythemia is associated with an increased risk of blood clots (venous thrombosis, stroke, heart attack) and leukemia.

When should you suspect polycythemia vera?

In adults, a hemoglobin level greater than 16.0 grams per deciliter (g/dL) in women or 16.5 g/dL in men can indicate PV. A CBC will also measure your hematocrit.

What labs are abnormal in polycythemia vera?

Nonspecific laboratory abnormalities that may occur in polycythemia vera include elevated vitamin B12 and B12-binding capacity, hyperuricemia and hyperuricosuria (present in ≥ 80% of patients), and decreased expression of MPL (the receptor for thrombopoietin) in megakaryocytes and platelets.

Can polycythemia vera be misdiagnosed?

If bone marrow histology isn’t thoroughly integrated into the workup, there’s a risk that patients with early stage PV may be misdiagnosed with essential thrombocythemia (ET) or myeloproliferative neoplasm unclassifiable (MPN-U) based on the 2008 WHO thresholds.

Does high MCV mean liver disease?

Macrocytosis is a useful diagnostic indicator of alcoholism. MCV values greater than 100 fl in patients with liver disease almost invariably indicate alcohol-related disease. In the short-term, changes in MCV are of little use in monitoring alcohol intake.

Is MCV 105 high?

An average MCV score is between 80 and 95. If the MCV goes up to an extreme of 125, it may indicate vitamin B12, folate deficiencies, or cold agglutinin disease. A higher MCV value indicates that the red blood cells are larger than the average size.

What cancers cause high MCH levels?

High MCH Levels Having an MCH level above 31 picograms/cell is most commonly associated with the following conditions: Certain types of kidney diseases, including kidney cancer. Congenital heart defect. Lung disease, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and pulmonary fibrosis4.

Can polycythemia vera cause leg pain?

PV causes blood to be thicker than normal due to high levels of red blood cells and platelets. If you have PV and leg pain, a clot may be the cause. A high red blood cell count makes blood thicker so it flows less efficiently.

What happens if hematocrit is high?

A higher than normal hematocrit can indicate: Dehydration. A disorder, such as polycythemia vera, that causes your body to produce too many red blood cells. Lung or heart disease.

What is the expected hematocrit level in a woman with polycythemia?

Most patients being evaluated for polycythemia vera (PV) are incidentally discovered to have an increased hematocrit (>48% in women and >52% in men, respectively) and/or hemoglobin (>15 g/dL in women and >17 g/dL in men, respectively).

What does a low RBC count indicate?

A low red blood cell count means you have anemia, a condition that could be caused by a variety of factors like blood loss, genetic disorders, cancer treatments and other causes. Discovering anemia is often the starting point to diagnosing an underlying condition. Red blood cells carry oxygen in the blood.

What happens if hemoglobin is high?

High hemoglobin levels It causes the body to make too many red blood cells, causing the blood to be thicker than usual. This can lead to clots, heart attacks, and strokes. It is a serious lifelong condition that can be fatal if it is not treated.

Does polycythemia cause muscle pain?

Many of the symptoms of polycythaemia are caused by this sluggish flow of blood. Mild cases of polycythaemia may not cause any problems, but some people with polycythaemia can experience: discomfort in the chest or tummy (abdomen) muscle ache and weakness.

Does polycythemia cause bone pain?

Bone pain as the presenting symptom in polycythemia vera (PV) is rare, especially without the diagnosis of myelofibrosis (MF). Pain, however, can manifest as a late symptom in approximately 50% of patients with the diagnosis.

Why does polycythemia cause itching?

Many things can cause itching. It can happen with polycythemia vera because the extra red blood cells prompt your immune system to release a chemical called histamine. This is the same chemical your body releases during an allergic reaction. Histamine makes your skin itch.

Do you lose weight with polycythemia?

Conclusions: A subgroup of PV patients exhibit progressive weight loss. Over 10% BMI reduction is associated with decreased survival, suggesting that “early weight loss” is an independent clinical variable that predicts high risk PV.

What is secondary polycythemia vera?

Secondary polycythemia is defined as an absolute increase in red blood cell mass that is caused by enhanced stimulation of red blood cell production. In contrast, polycythemia vera is characterized by bone marrow with an inherent increased proliferative activity.

How fast does polycythemia vera progress?

This disease develops very slowly, usually over many years. Although it can be life-threatening if you don’t get any treatment, most people have a good chance of living a long life when they get the right care. SOURCES: FamilyDoctor.org: “Polycythemia Vera.”

Can polycythemia cause low oxygen levels?

Does polycythemia vera cause low oxygen levels? Yes. Your blood carries oxygen around your body. Polycythemia vera slows blood flow, which makes it hard for oxygen to reach your organs.