Myomatous erythrocytosis syndrome: further proof for the pathogenic role of erythropoietin.
BACKGROUND
Myomatous erythrocytosis syndrome is defined by the combination of erythrocytosis, myomatous uterus and persistent restoration of normal haematological values after hysterectomy. A pathogenic role of erythropoietin is suggested by clinical and experimental data.


METHODS
A postmenopausal patient is described with the classical clinical signs of the myomatous erythrocytosis syndrome. During hysterectomy we demonstrated a large gradient between the erythropoietin levels in the uterine vein and artery, providing direct evidence for in vivo erythropoietin production by the myomatous uterus.


CONCLUSIONS
While erythropoietin and its receptor are consecutively expressed in normal and myomatous uterine tissue, it is amazing that erythrocytosis occurs so rarely in such a frequent disorder as uterine myomatous. We strongly advocate cytogenetic examination of the myomatous tissue of subsequent patients with this entity.
Vlasveld
L T
LT
Department of Internal Medicine, Bronovo Hospital, The Hague, the Netherlands. tomvlasveld@hotmail.com
de Wit
C W M
CW
Verweij
R A
RA
Castel
A
A
Jansen
P M
PM
Peters
A A W
AA
D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007889:Leiomyoma / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011086:Polycythemia / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013577:Syndrome; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*
D004921:Erythropoietin