Myomatous erythrocytosis syndrome.
Uterine myomas are common but erythrocytosis caused by these is rarely seen. We report a case that illustrates the conjunction of various aetiological factors required for this clinical entity to evolve. A voluminous, retroperitoneally located and focally degenerated myoma was associated with severe secondary erythrocytosis (haematocrit: 65.5%) which resolved after hysterectomy. It has been demonstrated previously that myomatous tissue is the source of excessive production of erythropoietin. Local tissue hypoxia, which is more prone to develop in a pedunculated myoma, stimulates the process. Other prerequisites are a very large size of the myoma and the absence of menometrorrhagia of a severity such as to cause a depletion in iron reserves.
Blockeel
Christophe
C
Academisch Ziekenhuis, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan, 101, B- 1090 Brussels, Belgium.
De Beeck
Bart Op
BO
Bourgain
Claire
C
Amy
Jean-Jacques
JJ
D000328:Adult; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007889:Leiomyoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011086:Polycythemia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D017467:Receptors, Erythropoietin / Q000378:metabolism*; D013577:Syndrome; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging
D017467:Receptors, Erythropoietin; D004921:Erythropoietin