Characteristics of polycythemia in Sana'a, Yemen

High altitude polycythemia is one of the altitude illnesses. Sana'a region is located at high altitude which reaches 3600 meters above the sea level. To determine the hematological and clinical features of polycythemic patients residing in Sana'a region and to clarify the effect of high altitude in causing polycythemia. Hematological, clinical and demographic data were obtained from 30 polycythemic patients [26 males, 4 females, aged 26 to 85 years residing Sana'a region and referred to the National Centre of Public Health Laboratories in Sana'a city for the first time venesection. All studied samples showed high hemoglobin levels [mean 18.85 g/dl for both sexes], normal platelet counts [228 and 267 x10[9]/L for males and females, respectively], normal white cell counts in 96.7% of the cases [means 6.01 to 5.98 x10[9]/L. Their clinical features showed predominance of headache, ruddy cyanosis, dyspnea and night sweating by 86.7%, 76.7%, 70% and 60%, respectively, Hypertension, joint pain, renal disease, peptic ulcer were less commonly mentioned by 36.7%, 20%, 13.3%, and 10%, respectively. Hemorrhage, pruritus, splenomegaly, heart disease and liver disease were observed by only 6.67% each. Findings suggest that secondary polycythemia is predominant among polycythemic patients due to the high altitude of Sana'a region. Findings needs to be confirmed by studying a larger sample and extended to investigate the erythropoietin level and JAK2V617F mutation for accurate diagnosis

Hemoglobina materna en el Perú: diferencias regionales y su asociación con resultados adversos perinatales / Maternal hemoglobin in Perú: regional differences and its asociation with adverse perinatal outcomes

Objetivos. Establecer la frecuencia de anemia y eritrocitosis en gestantes de diferentes regiones del Perú y la asociación con los resultados adversos perinatales utilizando los datos del Sistema de Información Perinatal (SIP) del Ministerio de Salud (MINSA). Materiales y métodos. Se obtuvieron datos de 379 816 partos de 43 centros asistenciales del Ministerio de Salud entre los años 2000 y 2010. Se determinó la frecuencia de anemia y eritrocitosis en cada región geográfica así como de los resultados adversos perinatales. Resultados. La frecuencia de anemia leve fue mayor en la costa (25,8 por ciento) y en la selva baja (26,2 por ciento). La frecuencia de anemia moderada/severa es más alta en la selva baja (2,6 por ciento) seguido de la costa (1,0 por ciento). En la sierra, las frecuencia más alta de anemia moderada/severa se observa en la sierra sur (0,6 por ciento). La mayor frecuencia de eritrocitosis (Hb>14,5 g/dL) fue encontrada en la sierra centro (23,7 por ciento), seguido de 11,9 por ciento en la sierra sur y 9,5 por ciento en la sierra norte. La anemia severa y la eritrocitosis estuvieron relacionadas con los resultados adversos perinatales. Conclusiones. Hay diferencias por región geográfica en la frecuencia de anemia. En la sierra central se encontró mayor frecuencia de eritrocitosis con respecto a la sierra sur. Tanto la anemia severa como la eritrocitosis aumentan los resultados adversos perinatales.

Objectives. To evaluate hemoglobin (Hb) levels in pregnant women from different geographical regions from Peru; to establish anemia and erythrocytocis rates and to establish the role of Hb on adverse perinatal outcomes using the Perinatal Information System (PIS) database of Peruvian Ministry of Health. Materials and methods. Data were obtained from 379,816 births of 43 maternity care units between 2000 and 2010. Anemia and erythrocytocis rates were determined in each geographical region as well as rates of adverse perinatal outcomes. To analyze data the STATA program (versión 10.0,Texas, USA) was used. The results were considered significant at p<0.01. Results. Mild anemia rate was higher in the coast (25.8 percent) and low forest (26.2 percent). Moderate/severe anemia rate in low forest was 2.6 percent and at the coast was 1.0 percent. In the highland, the highest rate of moderate/severe anemia was in the southern highlands (0.6 percent). The highest rate of erythrocytocis was found in the central highland (23.7 percent), 11.9 percent in the southern highland and 9.5 percent in the north highland. Severe anemia and erythrocytocis were associated with adverse perinatal outcomes. Conclusions. There are differences by Peruvian geographical region in anemia rates. In the central highlands were found the highest rates of erythrocytocis due to hypoxia effect in the high altitudes; however in the southern highlands, erythrocytocis was lower. Severe anemia and erythrocytosis were associated with increased adverse perinatal outcomes.

Estabilización de los indicadores hematológicos en paciente con policitemia absoluta secundaria tratado con Vimang® / Stabilization of the hematologic indicators in a patient with absolute secondary polycythemia treated with Vimang®

Se reporta un caso del sexo masculino, de 72 años de edad con antecedentes de hipertensión arterial (con un período de evolución de 5 años) que fue remitido en el 2001 a la Consulta de Hematología por presentar cifras elevadas de hemoglobina (Hb) y hematócrito (Hto). Las cifras elevadas de Hb y Hto se detectaron durante un chequeo médico como resultado de que el paciente presentara pérdida de conocimiento y fuera hospitalizado. El paciente se remitió al Instituto de Hematología e Inmunología (Ciudad de La Habana) para realizarle un estudio de volemia y ferrocinética, el cual mostró que presentaba policitemia absoluta moderada. Se descartó policitemia vera y se buscaron causas de policitemia absoluta secundaria sin que hayan encontrado ninguna hasta el presente. Desde este momento el paciente se ha seguido en la Consulta de Hematología del Hospital General Docente Ernesto Che Guevara (Las Tunas) y cada 6 meses es chequeado en el Instituto de Hematología e Inmunología, Ciudad de La Habana. A partir del mes de abril de 2004 el paciente recibió 600 mg de Vimang® (extracto de Mangifera indica L.) y se incrementó 2 meses después a 900 mg en 3 dosis separadas de 300 mg (tabletas) diariamente. El presente estudio analizó la historia clínica del paciente y los resultados de todos los estudios que se le practicaron en los años precedentes al tratamiento con Vimang® y los observados durante el año que estaba bajo tratamiento. Como resultado se observó una reducción en un 50 por ciento del número de flebotomías necesarias para mantener el paciente bajo control con respecto a los valores de Hto y Hb. Se encontraron además diferencias significativas (p < 0,05) con respecto a las desviaciones estándar de los indicadores Hto y Hb, que fueron menores en el periodo en que el paciente fue tratado con el extracto natural.

We present the case of a man aged 72 with backgrounds of high blood pressure (course: 5 years) referred in 2001 to Hematology consulting room presenting high figures of hemoglobin (hb) and hematocrit (Hto). The above mentioned high figures were detected during the medical checkup because this patient had a loss of consciousness and was admitted. Patient was referred to Hematology and Immunology Institute (Havana City) to make a study of blood volume and ferrokinetics, demonstrating the presence of a moderate absolute polycythemia. Polycythemia vera was ruled out and it was necessary to look for the causes of a secondary absolute polycythemia without some success until nowadays. From this moment, patient has been followed in the consulting room of "Ernesto Ché Guevara" Teaching and General Hospital (Las Tunas province), and each 6 months hi is seen in the Hematology and Immunology Institute of Havana City. From April month, 2004, patient has been treated con Vimang® (600 mg) (Mangifera indica L extract) and afterwards, doses were increased until 900 mg in three doses apart of 300 mg (tablets) daily. Present study analyzed the patient's medical record as well as results of all studies performed in the previous years to treatment with Vimang® and those observed during the period under treatment. As result, there was a 50 percent decrease in number of phlebotomies needed to maintain the patient under control according to Hto and Hb values. We found also significant differences (p < 0,05) regarding SD of this values, which were lower during the treatment with natural extract.

Policitemia neonatal e hiperviscosidad / Neonatal polycythemia and hyperviscosity

Se define policitemia neonatal al aumento anormal de glóbulos rojos traducido por un hematocrito venosocentral mayor o igual a 65% durante los primeros días de vida. La elevación del hematocrito se asocia en algunos casos con hiperviscosidad sanguínea que produce alteraciones en el flujo sanguíneo de varios órganos.

Polycythemia and Hb Coimbra [beta 99 (G1) Asp -> Glu] in Brazil

We report the clinical and laboratory findings concerning three unrelated Brazilian patients investigated for polycythemia, whose definitive diagnosis could only be established after the presence of Hb Coimbra (b99 Asp ® Glu) was demonstrated. This illustrates the importance of properly investigating hereditary hemoglobinopathies in cases of erythrocytosis because in some populations variants with high oxygen affinity may be more frequent than expected but go undetected when conventional electrophoresis is used as the sole detection procedure.

Iron stores and coagulation paramenters in patients with hypoxemic polycythemia secondary to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: the effect of phlebotomies

This study was designed to determine the effects of phlebotomy on iron body contents and coagulation tests of COPD patients with polycythemia secondary to hypoxemia. Seventeen patients with COPD and hematocrits higher than 54 percent (mean Hct: 57 + 0.49 percent), who had not received anti-inflamatory or antiplatelet aggregation agents recently. Their mean forced expiratory volume at 1 second (FEV) was 0.92 + 0.11 L. Intervention: Blood work was collected to evaluate the following: serum iron and ferritin levels, total iron binding capacity, transferrin saturation index, fibrinogen plasma levels, activated partial thromboplastin time, platelet count, platelet aggregation measurements, and thromboelastography coagulation parameters. The blood samples were obtained before and about 7 days after the hematocrit correction by 300-400 ml phlebotomies done every other day. The mean number of phlebotomies done for each patient was 4.4. Postphlebotomy iron serum levels decreased from 90.1 + 14.8 to 59.7 + 9.9 mg/dl and the ferritin serum levels from 133.8 + 37.9 to + 70.8 + 32.7 ng/ml (p<0.05). Regarding the coagulation studies, there were significant increases in the platelet count, from 227,300 + 13,900 to 312,500 + 30,200 per mim3, and in the maximum clot amplitude (a) obtained by thromboelastography (from 53.6 + 1.4 percent to 60.4 + 1.1 percent). The coagulation time (k) of the thromboelastography also decreased significantly, from 7.5 + 0.7 mm prephlebotomy to 4.5 + 0.3mm postphlebotomy. Although the coagulation changes were small amount, the observed significant decrease in iron contents may have important clinical implications.

Symptomatic neonatal polycythemia: comparison of partial exchange transfusion with saline versus plasma.

A prospective study to evaluate efficacy and safety of partial exchange blood transfusion (PEBT) with normal saline or plasma was conducted in 30 symptomatic polycythemic newborns. Babies were randomly assigned to receive PEBT either with normal saline or plasma. Both groups were comparable in terms of birth weight, gestational age, preexchange hematocrit and viscosity. A significant fall in hematocrit and viscosity was noticed at 6 hours following PEBT which persisted even at 24 hours (P < 0.001). Hematocrit and viscosity were comparable in the two groups at 6 and 24 hours (p > 0.05 for both). Majority of babies became asymptomatic after 24 hours of PEBT, but one baby in the saline group remained polycythemic and symptomatic requiring repeat PEBT. No complications related to the procedure were encountered in the two groups. Partial exchange with normal saline was as effective and safe as plasma in symptomatic polycythemic newborns.

Policitemia Vera: aspectos reológicos, patogénicos y diagnósticos / Polycythemia Vera: rheologic, pathogenic and diagnostic aspects

La policitemia vera es una enfermedad hematológica maligna clonal, cuyo mayor riesgo es la trombosis vascular. Este artículo considera los progresos existentes en la comprensión de la reología sanguínea, patogenia, clínica, diagnóstico y tratamiento de esta entidad

Hematocrit and whole blood viscosity in newborns: analysis of 100 cases.

Hematocrit (Hct) and whole blood viscosity was studied at a mean age of ten hours in 100 neonates. Group A (n = 25), were term normal newborns, Group B (n = 25) were preterms, Group C (n = 20) were term small for gestation (SGA) and Group D (n = 30) had perinatal hypoxia. Blood viscosity was estimated in all cases at shear rates 94.5, 51.2, 20.4 and 8.1 and intergroup variability in viscosity compared at shear rate 51.2. The mean hematocrit (Hct) (59.4%) and viscosity (8.2 cps) was higher in Group A as compared to other groups, but the difference was not significant (p greater than 0.05). The upper limit of viscosity in Group C (11.9 cps) was higher than in all other groups but this difference was also not significant (p greater than 0.05). With decrease in shear rates a reciprocal increase in viscosity was noted in all four groups. Seventeen neonates (17%) had polycythemia of which eight (47.5%) were SGA. Twelve per cent preterms were polycythemic. Only 3% of neonates had hyperviscosity. The mean Hct and viscosity of the 17 cases with polycythemia was 70.9 and 9.21 cps, respectively, which was significantly higher than mean Hct and viscosity of Group A (p less than 0.05). Partial exchange transfusions were done in five neonates with Hct greater than 75%, of which only one had hyperviscosity. Post-exchange viscosity was not estimated. Whereas, three neonates with polycythemia were symptomatic, none of these had hyperviscosity. A linear correlation between Hct and viscosity was observed (r = 0.67).

Exchange transfusions via peripheral vessels.

During a 15 month period, partial exchange transfusions (ET) were done in 40 neonates with polycythemia, and double volume ET attempted in 7 neonates with hyperbilirubinemia via peripheral vessels. The procedure was effective and not associated with any complications for partial ET. During double volume ET minor complications were noted in 2 cases, both of whom recovered and subsequently successfully underwent supraumbilical ET. Of the 5 cases who had uneventful double volume exchanges, there was a significant drop in indirect serum bilirubin following the procedure. The mean pre-ET serum indirect bilirubin in these 5 cases was 334 mumol/L and mean post-ET level was 179 mumol/L with a mean drop of 155 mumol/L (46% drop). Technical difficulties in catheterization may be overcome with greater expertise and use of heparin to flush arterial catheters.

Polycythemia in the newborn: do asymptomatic babies need exchange transfusion?

A total of 2288 infants were screened for hematocrit over a period of 15 months. Polycythemia was diagnosed in 27 cases (1.2%). Preterm and term babies had more or less equal risk to develop polycythemia (1.5% and 1.1% respectively) while postterm infants had at least three times increased risk (3.4%) when compared to their term counterparts. Large-for-dates (LFDs) and small-for-dates (SFDs) infants had increased risk of manifesting polycythemia which was nearly four times (2.2%) and twenty-five times (13.2%) respectively, as compared to appropriate-for-dates (AFDs) babies (0.5%). About one-third of polycythemic infants had one or more symptoms. The most common symptoms observed was jitteriness (25.9%) followed by respiratory distress (14.8%) and lethargy (11.1%). The mean (+/- SD) hematocrit of symptomatic newborns (76.0 +/- 4.04) was found to be significantly higher (p less than 0.001) as compared to asymptomatic babies (70.84 +/- 2.73). Partial exchange transfusion with plasma was performed in all the symptomatic cases within 8 hours of onset of symptoms. No such intervention was performed in asymptomatic cases. On neurodevelopment follow-up, the development indices (MDI and PDI) of both asymptomatic and symptomatic cases were found to be comparable.

Respuesta del estrés y valores de hemoglobina y hematocrito en la policitemia relativa / Stress response and hemoglobin and hematocrit values in relative polycythemia

Se informa que para determinar los efectos del estrés inducido por la estimulación psicosocial sobre los niveles de hemoblobina (Hb.) y de hematocrito (Hto.) en un grupo de 10 enfermos con policitemia relativa (PR), se efectuaron 2 series de observaciones experimentales. Se señala que el modelo de estimulación emocional empleado consistió en una situación experimental de 20 min. de duración, inducida a partir de la realización simultánea de tareas cognitivas, de elevada significación personal para los sujetos, fuera de su control, bajo presión temporal y con retroalimentación social negativa. Se destaca que la situación experimental produjo en estos sujetos incrementos significativos en la Hb. y el Hto. Se determina que estas variaciones hematológicas no eran producto de posibles errores constantes entre las primeras y segundas mediciones de laboratorio