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Polycythemia Vera Diagnosis

Purpose: To diagnose polycythemia vera using the criteria of the Polycythemia Study Group (PVSG).

Description

Polycythemia vera is a myeloproliferative disorder featuring an abnormal proliferation of erythroid, megakaryocytic and myeloid elements with an increased red cell mass, not secondary to hypoxemia. The criteria of the Polycythemia Vera Study Group is intended to identify patients with polycythemia vera in order to compare different therapeutic interventions.


 

 

Category A

A1

increased red cell mass (males >= 36 mL/kg, females >= 32 mL/kg)

A2

normal arterial oxygen saturation >= 92%

A3

splenomegaly

 

 

 

Category B

B1

thrombocytosis with platelet count > 400,000 per µL

B2

leukocytosis > 12,000 per µL, in the absence of fever or infection

B3

increased leukocyte alkaline phosphatase (LAP) score > 100, in the absence of fever or infection

B4

increased vitamin B12 (> 900 pg/mL) or unsaturated B12 binding capacity (> 2,200 pg/mL)

 

where:

• Red cell mass is measured using erythrocytes tagged with chromium 51, technetium 99 or phosphorus 32

• A normal oxygen saturation is used to exclude secondary polycythemia.

 

Interpretation: Polycythemia vera is diagnosed:

• if A1 and A2 and A3 are present, or

• if A1 and A2 and (any 2 of category B) are present

 


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Specialty

Objective

ICD-10