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Polycythemia vera in Chinese patients: Thirty‐six years of experience
Author(s) -
Chim C. S.,
Kwong Y. L.,
Chan P. T.,
Liang Raymond
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
american journal of hematology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.456
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1096-8652
pISSN - 0361-8609
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1096-8652(199709)56:1<59::aid-ajh12>3.0.co;2-y
Subject(s) - medicine , polycythemia vera , thrombosis , hydroxycarbamide , surgery , gastroenterology , venous thrombosis , chemotherapy
Forty‐one patients with polycythemia vera (PV) according to the PVSG criteria were analysed retrospectively from January 1960 to March 1996. There were 23 male and 18 female patients with a median follow‐up of 66.5 months (3–431 months). Median age was 62 (range: 37–85). The median hemoglobin level at diagnosis was 18.8 g/dl. Four patients were treated by venesection alone, 20 patients received hydroxyurea and intermittent venesection, 3 were treated with radioactive phosphorus alone, and 14 had both hydroxyurea and radioactive phosphorus. During the course of illness, 14 patients (34%) developed a total of 19 thrombotic events. Of the thrombotic events, 16 were arterial and 3 were venous. Two patients had both arterial and venous thrombosis sequentially. The probability of thrombosis‐free survival after treatment was 83% at 10 years and 73% at 20 years. One patient developed post‐polycythemic myeloid metaplasia 24 months after diagnosis. Of 17 patients exposed to radioactive phosphorus, only 1 developed secondary acute myeloid leukemia (AML) 9 years afterwards. Of the 20 patients treated with hydroxyurea for a median duration of 63.5 months (2–130 months), there is no case of secondary malignancy. Overall survival was 83% at 10 years and 62% at 20 years. In conclusion, PV in Chinese is a relatively benign disease with a low risk of thrombosis as compared to Caucasian patients. Hydroxyurea has a very low risk of secondary leukemia and is a safe drug to use in Chinese patients with PV. Am. J. Hematol. 56:59–62, 1997. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.