A 17-year-old Caucasian male, a high school student from Missouri was referred for evaluation of unexplained erythrocytosis. He reported a myriad of symptoms including nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, weight loss, fatigue, headaches, cold hands and feet with numbness and tingling, hyperhidrosis, palpitations, and pruritus. He was a non-smoker without illicit drug or hormone use. Family history was unremarkable. On physical examination, no cutaneous, abdominal or neurological abnormalities were noted. A review of serial blood counts showed a consistent elevation in Hgb >16.5 g/dl, with peak Hgb/Hct of 18.3 g/dl/52.4% and normal leukocyte and platelet counts. PV was excluded with a negative JAK2V617F/exon 12 mutation screen and elevated EPO at 22.6 mIU/mL (normal range; 2.6–18.5 mIU/mL). Bone marrow aspirate/biopsy was without features of a MPN. Hereditary erythrocytosis evaluation did not reveal high-affinity Hgb variants or mutations in 2,3-Bisphosphoglycerate Mutase (BPGM)(exons 1–4), EPOR (exon 8), or oxygen-sensing pathway proteins, including hypoxia-inducible factor 2 α (HIF2A) encoded by endothelial PASS domain protein 1 (EPAS1) (exons 9 and 12), prolyl hydroxylase 2 (PHD2) encoded by egl-9 family hypoxia-inducible factor 1(EGLN1)(exons 1-5), von Hippel Lindau (VHL) (three coding exons and intron/exon boundaries). Chest/abdominal imaging, arterial blood gas, transthoracic echocardiogram with shunt study, urinary catecholamines/metanephrines were unremarkable. Interestingly, MRI brain/spine revealed multiple cerebrovascular malformations; both developmental venous anomalies and cavernous hemangiomas in the frontal and temporal regions. Accordingly, the cerebrovascular malformations were hypothesized to be a plausible link to the patient’s erythrocytosis. Surgical intervention was not feasible due to the presence of multiple anomalies. He was initiated on phlebotomies with marked improvement in symptoms; thereafter, need for periodic phlebotomies was determined by symptoms rather than a target Hct value. This previously published case underscores the importance of a systematic diagnostic approach to JAK2 unmutated erythrocytosis [].
Sixty-six-year-old lady from Minnesota with history of mild asthma, recurrent generalized anxiety, and episodic hypertension with possible right subclavian steal, was referred for evaluation of erythrocytosis. Complete blood count revealed Hgb of 19.3 g/dL, Hct of 58%, leukocytes 6.5 × 109/l, and platelet count of 349 × 109/l. Historical blood count review noted Hgb of 18.6 g/dl four years prior with progressive rise in Hgb >19 g/dl. Family history was unremarkable, and the patient was a non-smoker, without history of thrombosis, or aquagenic pruritus. Her dominant symptoms included severe headaches and fatigue. Physical exam revealed hypertension, normal oxygen saturation, without palpable hepatosplenomegaly. EPO level was in the normal range at 13.9 mIU/mL and JAK2V617F/exon 12 mutation analyses were negative. Bone marrow examination lacked features of MPN. Abdominal ultrasound did not reveal renal or hepatic lesions or evidence for renal artery stenosis. CT head was without intracranial abnormalities. Sleep apnea was excluded by overnight oximetry. Monoclonal protein studies and pheochromocytoma evaluation with urinary catecholamines/metanephrines were also obtained and unrevealing. In addition, hereditary erythrocytosis workup including high-oxygen affinity Hgb variants, EPOR, BPGM, VHL, PHD2, HIF2A mutation testing was unrevealing. In the absence of a specific etiology for erythrocytosis, our working diagnosis was “idiopathic” erythrocytosis or erythrocytosis not otherwise specified. She was recommended aspirin 81 mg daily and initiated on phlebotomy due to her symptoms and labile hypertension. The need for periodic phlebotomy was based upon symptoms. At six-month follow-up, Hgb remained below 16 g/dl without phlebotomy, along with resolution of headaches and hypertension. We recommended close monitoring of blood counts every 3–6 months.