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Fatigue, a swollen spleen and itching
- Around half of people with PV do not have symptoms when they are diagnosed. But you might get signs and symptoms over time. These include fatigue, a swollen spleen and itching. People with PV have a higher risk of blood clots and bleeding than other people.
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Your GP might suspect you have PV if you have a raised number of blood cells in your blood over a period of time. This can be measured in a blood test called a full blood count (FBC) . Depending on your symptoms, your doctor may be able to diagnose PV straight away.
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Many people with polycythemia vera don't have noticeable signs or symptoms. Some people might develop vague symptoms such as headache, dizziness, fatigue and blurred vision.
More-specific symptoms of polycythemia vera include:
•Itchiness, especially after a warm bath or shower
•Numbness, tingling, burning, or weakness in your hands, feet, arms or legs
•A feeling of fullness soon after eating and bloating or pain in your left upper abdomen due to an enlarged spleen
•Unusual bleeding, such as a nosebleed or bleeding gums
Make an appointment with your doctor if you have signs or symptoms of polycythemia vera.
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Polycythemia vera occurs when a mutation in a gene causes a problem with blood cell production. Normally, your body regulates the number of each of the three types of blood cells you have — red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. But in polycythemia vera, your bone marrow makes too many of some of these blood cells.
The cause of the gene mutation in polycythemia vera is unknown, but it's generally not inherited from your parents.
Polycythemia vera can occur at any age, but it's more common in adults between 50 and 75. Men are more likely to get polycythemia vera, but women tend to get the disease at younger ages.
Possible complications of polycythemia vera include:
•Blood clots. Increased blood thickness and decreased blood flow, as well as abnormalities in your platelets, raise your risk of blood clots. Blood clots can cause a stroke, a heart attack, or a blockage in an artery in your lungs or a vein deep within a leg muscle or in the abdomen.
•Enlarged spleen. Your spleen helps your body fight infection and filter unwanted material, such as old or damaged blood cells. The increased number of blood cells caused by polycythemia vera makes your spleen work harder than normal, which causes it to enlarge.
•Problems due to high levels of red blood cells. Too many red blood cells can lead to a number of other complications, including open sores on the inside lining of your stomach, upper small intestine or esophagus (peptic ulcers) and inflammation in your joints (gout).
•Other blood disorders. In rare cases, polycythemia vera can lead to other blood diseases, including a progressive disorder in which bone marrow is replaced with scar tissue, a condition in which stem cells don't mature or function properly, or cancer of the blood and bone marrow (acute leukemia).
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•Mayo Clinic Q and A: Blood disorder causes body to make too many red blood cells
Polycythaemia vera (PV) is a rare blood cancer that affects the bone marrow. It causes your body to make too many red blood cells. To find out if you have polycythemia vera your doctor will do several tests. They will also examine you and ask about your general health.
It may be recommended if you have polycythaemia vera, a history of blood clots, or symptoms suggesting your blood is too thick. Venesection involves removing about 1 pint (half a litre) of blood at a time, in a similar way to the procedure used for blood donation .
About blood cancer. Polycythaemia vera (PV) is a type of blood cancer that causes your body to make too many red blood cells. PV and red blood cells. Red blood cells are made in our bone marrow – the spongy material inside some of our bones. They are the cells which carry oxygen around the body.
May 10, 2024 · Prognosis. Guidelines. References. Log in or subscribe to access all of BMJ Best Practice. Last reviewed: 15 Sep 2024. Last updated: 10 May 2024. Summary. Polycythaemia vera (PV) is generally a disease of middle and older age. Carries increased risks of thrombosis, haemorrhage, progression to myelofibrosis, and transformation to acute leukaemia.
May 22, 2021 · Key points. Polycythaemia vera: a myeloproliferative disorder with excess erythrocyte production; >98% cases due to JAK2 mutation. Incidence: 2 per 100,000; prevalence: 50 per 100,000; usually presents in patients aged 60-70. Primary polycythaemia: excess RBC production due to JAK2 mutation.
