Hematology Case Histories Case 11 Polycythemia Basics • A 62-year-old male complained of weakness, headache, lightheadedness, and fatigue. Upon physical examination, the following information was available: • Erythrocytes 8.5 million/cu mm • Leukocytes 12,500/cu mm • Thrombocytes 400,000/cu mm • Hct 58% • O2 saturation (arterial) 94% • Serum erythropoietin Undetectable • Erythrocytes and leukocytes were immature in the peripheral blood smear. • Spleen was enlarged. determined therapy of choice was phlebotomy, • 300-500 mL every other day, until the hematocrit was <45% with the • possibility of myelosuppressive therapy, if needed. 1. What are Erythrocytes? Red blood cells 2. What is the normal range for red blood cell count? RBC (varies with altitude): Note: cells/mcl = cells per microliter male: 4.7 to 6.1 million cells/mcl female: 4.2 to 5.4 million cells/mcl 3. What are leukocytes? White blood cells 4. What is the normal white blood cell count for leukocytes? 4,500-10,000 white blood cells/mcl (cells per microliter) 5. What are thrombocytes? Platlets 6. What is a normal thrombocyte count? 150,000 to 400,000/mm3 7. What is a hematocrit? The percentage of whole blood that is composed of RBC 8. What is a normal hematocrit? Males: 42-50 % Females: 36-44 % 9. what is erythropoietin? A growth factor hormone that tells stem cells in bone marrow to grow into RBCs. It increases the amount of RBCs in the blood. 10. What is a normal value for arterial oxygen saturation? 94-100% 11. How do the patients test results compare with normal blood test results? The patient has more of everything 12. What are possible causes for an increased hematocrit? dehydration, diarrhea, burns, erythrocytosis (excessive rbc production), or polycythemia 13. What is hypoxemia, and why can it be eliminated as a cause? Hypoxemia is a low oxygen content, and this person has normal oxygen levels. 14. What are Pluripotential hemopoietic stem cells? Precursors to blood cells 15. What does pluripotent mean? A type of cell that can differentiate into many different types 16. What is the disorder of this individual? The disorder of this individual is polycythemia. Polycythemia vera is an Abnormal increase in blood cells (primarilyred blood cells) resulting from excess production by the bone marrow. 17. Why are the arterial O2 saturation and erythropoietin levels important in making this decision? The arterial O2 saturation and erythropoietin levels are important in confirming that the increased hematocrit is not due to hypoxemia or an abnormally elevated erythropoietin level. The O2 saturation level would indicate if there is a physiologic stimulus for the increased erythrocyte production. 18. Define phlebotomy Phlebotomy is the letting of blood for transfusion pheresis, diagnostic testing, or experimental procedures. 19. How does phlebotomy help correct this problem? Phlebotomy (removal of the whole blood) removes both blood cells and plasma. The plasma volume is replaced within days, whereas the erythrocytes take several weeks to be replaced. 20. Define myelosuppressive therapy. Myelosuppressive therapy is therapy for the suppression of the bone marrow's production of blood cells and platelets. 21. Why may myelosuppressive therapy be needed? Myelosuppressive therapy may be needed to suppress the erythrocyte production in the myeloid tissue if the hematocrit continues to rise after the phlebotomies.