title: Investigation of patients with polycythaemia.
abstract: Polycythaemia may complicate or be the presenting feature of a wide variety of different pathologies. Early diagnosis and treatment of primary polycythaemia will significantly reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with this condition. Patients with a raised packed cell volume are divided into those with a raised red cell mass (absolute polycythaemia), and those with a red cell mass within their normal range (apparent polycythaemia). A standard investigative approach of an absolute polycythaemia enables patients with primary and secondary polycythaemia to be identified, leaving a group termed idiopathic erythrocytosis. There are a number of physiological situations and pathological events associated with idiopathic erythrocytosis and apparent polycythaemia. Careful follow-up of both groups of these patients is essential to identify possible causative mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Division of Haematology, St. Thomas' Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: T C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Pearson
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Messinezy
mesh_terms: D015342:DNA Probes; D006801:Humans; D011086:Polycythemia / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000652:urine
chemical_list: D015342:DNA Probes