83 Polycythemia Vera Flashcards
The term denoting an increased amount of blood cells that has traditionally been applied to conditions in which the mass of erythrocytes is increased
Polycythemia
TRUE OR FALSE
In polycythemia vera, there is more than one cell lineage increased at diagnosis and through the course of the untreated disease, from erythrocytosis, an invariably unilineage increase in red cells
TRUE
In polycythemia vera, there is more than one cell lineage increased at diagnosis and through the course of the untreated disease, from erythrocytosis, an invariably unilineage increase in red cells
A characteristic feature of PV on BMA
Endogenous erythroid colonies (EECs)
Erythropoietin-independent BFU-E precursors
A situation wherein a part of a chromosome comes in two copies from one parent and no copy from the other parent.
Uniparental disomy (UPD)
In PV, UPD is the acquired somatic event generated by mitotic crossover, wherein one part of the chromosome is duplicated and the other is deleted as it happens in at least part of the PV clone.
JAK2 V617F is located at what chromosome
Chromosome 9p
The V617F mutation is present in:
PV:
ET and PMF:
PV: All
ET and PMF: more than 50%
In PV (unlike in ET), it is often in its associated (homozygous or heterozygous) form as a result of UPD, at least in some of the progenitors
In PV (unlike in ET), it is often in its associated HOMOZYGOUS form as a result of UPD, at least in some of the progenitors
Patients bearing homozygous JAK2 V617F tend to have:
Longer duration of disease
Higher hemoglobin levels
Increased incidence of pruritus
More likely to transform to post-polycythemia vera MF (post-PV MF)
Increased spleen volume
Increased leukocytosis
Increased severity of MF
Kind of JAK2 mutation is present in PV patients who are JAK2 V617F -negative
JAK2 exon 12 mutations
Patients with JAK2 exon 12 mutations have:
Erythrocytosis only
Occurs at a younger age
Higher hemoglobin
Normal EPO level
Differences in marrow morphology- megakaryocytic clusters are largely absent and lack of panmyelosis
Disease course and clinical outcome, however, are similar.
Mutation in patients with polycythemia with eosinophilia which has no evidence of uniparental disomy and all erythropoietin-independent BFU-E were heterozygous for this novel JAK2 mutant.
JAK2 exon 13
The risk of acquiring a JAK2 V617F -positive MPN is three- to fourfold higher in patients with the_________________haplotype.
JAK2 GGCC (46/1) haplotype
Could be considered be the “fourth” driver mutation in Philadelphia chromosome negative MPNs, in addition to JAK2, CALR and cMPL
LNK protein mutations (encoded by SH2B3 gene)
A history of any autoimmune disorder has been associated with a _____ increased risk of developing an MPN
20%
PV usually has an insidious onset, most commonly during the _________ decade of life, although onset may occur from childhood to old age.
Sixth decade of life
TRUE OR FALSE
Other PV patients may be uncovered during investigation for arterial or venous thrombosis, or iron deficiency.
TRUE
Other PV patients may be uncovered during investigation for arterial or venous thrombosis, or iron deficiency.
The most common symptoms of PV
Headache
In decreasing order of frequency: headache, fatigue, weakness, pruritus, dizziness, and night sweats, but these symptoms are more likely in patients with PV transforming to MF
The most common and most important complication of PV
Thrombotic episodes
Thrombotic episodes occur in about _________ of PV patients
One-third
The most common serious complication of PV
Cerebrovascular accident
Bleeding and bruising is a common complication of PV, occurring in approximately __________of patients in some series.
One-quarter
TRUE OR FALSE
Bleeding is more common in persons with marked thrombocytopenia
FALSE
Bleeding is more common in persons with marked thrombocytosis (>1000 × 10 9 /L).
Syndrome caused by a thrombosis in the hepatic venous outflow, leading to ischemia from reduced perfusion through hepatic arterioles and necrosis of hepatocytes
Budd-Chiari syndrome
Budd-Chiari syndrome may be the first clinical manifestation of PV
TRUE OR FALSE
PV is the most frequent underlying disease associated with Budd-Chiari syndrome.
TRUE
PV is the most frequent underlying disease associated with Budd-Chiari syndrome.
Treatment for Budd-Chiari syndrome
Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt placement Liver transplantation
Cause of aquagenic pruritus in PV patients
Increased numbers of mast cells in the skin and elevated histamine levels
Syndrome characterized by warmth of the extremities; painful, reddened digits; a burning sensation; and erythema of the fingers, hands, and feet that is associated with thrombocytosis.
Erythromelalgia
- A causative role for transient microvascular occlusion by platelet aggregates has been proposed
- It is not specific to PV or other MPNs
Treatment for erythromelalgia
Low-dose aspirin
TRUE OR FALSE
It is advised to normalize blood counts and blood volume before surgical interventions, and use specific preventive measures preoperatively.
TRUE
It is advised to normalize blood counts and blood volume before surgical interventions, and use specific preventive measures preoperatively.
Phase of PV characterized by a combination of anemia (non–iron deficiency), progressive increase of splenic size, and in most, but not all instances, represents post-PV MF
Spent phase of PV
- First noticed when phlebotomy requirements decrease
- The appearance of significant anisocytosis and poikilocytosis and teardrop cells (dacryocytes) heralds the onset of the spent phase and postPV MF
- Associated with an increased risk of leukemic transformation
In the updated 2016 WHO diagnostic criteria for PV, the hemoglobin level must be:
Male:
Female:
Male:16.5 g/dL
Female: 16.0 g/dL
TRUE OR FALSE
In patients treated with HU, MCV decreases to very low values
FALSE
In patients treated with HU, MCV increases to very high values
TRUE OR FALSE
Red cell mass determination is not useful in distinguishing PV from secondary erythrocytosis because the red cell mass is increased in both disorders.
TRUE
Red cell mass determination is not useful in distinguishing PV from secondary erythrocytosis because the red cell mass is increased in both disorders.
The principal value of red cell mass determination is to
Distinguish PV from apparent or spurious erythrocytosis
Distinguishing cases of masked PV from ET
Absolute neutrophilia occurs in about __________ of patients with PV.
Two-thirds
Neutrophils may be an important factor in PV-associated thrombosis.
Basophilia occurs in approximately _____________of patients with uncontrolled disease.
Two-thirds