title: Pruritus in polycythemia vera is associated with a lower risk of arterial thrombosis.
abstract: Among 418 patients with polycythemia vera seen at our institution and in whom pruritus history was recorded, the presence of pruritus at diagnosis was documented in 131 (31%) and its absence in 287 (69%). Pruritus was less frequently reported by smokers (12% vs. 24%; P = 0.004) and diabetics (5% vs. 11%; P = 0.04). The presence of pruritus was associated with a lower rate of arterial thrombosis, both at diagnosis (8% vs. 17%; P = 0.01) and during follow-up (16% vs. 30%; P = 0.003). Multivariable analysis revealed that these associations were independent of other risk factors for thrombosis. High JAK2V617F allele burden clustered with pruritus (P = 0.002) but did not affect thrombosis rates.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine and Laboratory Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota55905, USA.
authors.forename: Naseema
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gangat
authors.forename: Jacob J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Strand
authors.forename: Terra L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Lasho
authors.forename: Chin-Yang
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Animesh
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pardanani
authors.forename: Ayalew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tefferi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053614:Janus Kinase 2 / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011087:Polycythemia Vera / Q000150:complications*; D015995:Prevalence; D011537:Pruritus / Q000150:complications*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000209:etiology*
chemical_list: D053614:Janus Kinase 2