Polycythemia

Etiology

• Relative ("spurious") polycythemia
• Polycythemia vera (primary polycythemia)
• Secondary polycythemia
  • Hypoxia: cardiac disease, pulmonary disease, high altitude
  • Carboxyhemoglobin (smoking)
  • Renal cyst or hydronephrosis
  • Erythropoietin-secreting tumors (rare): renal cell or hepatocellular carcinoma, adrenal tumor, cerebellar hemangioma, uterine leiomyoma
  • Abnormal hemoglobins (rare)