Polycythemia vera

DDx

Other myeloproliferative disorder

  • Chronic myelogenous leukemia
  • Myelofibrosis
  • Essential thrombocytosis
Other causes of polycythemia
  • Relative ("spurious") 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)

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Last updated: December 1, 2014