Features suggesting secondary polycythemia
a. Smokingb. Stress
c. Burn
d. High altitude Characterized by
e. CO poisoning
Ans. (A) Smoking;
(D) High altitude; (E) CO poisoning
•Secondary polycythemia is defined as an absolute increase
in red blood cell mass caused by enhanced stimulation of red blood cell
production.
- Carbon monoxide poisoning
- Smoking
- Chronic heart or lung disease
- Cyanotic congenital heart disease
- Hormonal (endocrine) disorders: pheochromocytoma and
adrenal adenoma with Cushing syndrome
- Exposure to high altitudes
- Hypoventilation syndromes:
- High affinity hemoglobinopathy
- Kidney cysts, hemangioma
- Renal artery stenosis
- Tumors of the brain, liver, or uterus and kidney.
- Anabolic steroids
or erythropoietin therapy
• Spurious polycythemia, stress polycythemia, or Gaisbock’s
syndrome, relative polycythemia is characterized by
normal numbers of red blood cells but decreased levels of
plasma (the fluid part of the blood). Causes of spurious polycythemia include:
- Bunis
- Diarrhea
- hemoconcentration
- Stress
• Polycythemia (rubra) vera is a myeloproliferative disorder
associated with trilineage marrow hyperplasia and characterized by an increased
red cell mass, usually in association with leukocytosis and thrombocytosis.
