[Polycythemia vera, clinical aspects and disease course]

Abstract

The data of 140 patients with polycythemia vera during the period 1955--1975 were analyzed with regard to clinical signs and prognosis. The average age was 53,4 years. The sex ratio was 1.9:1 in favor of men. The most frequent symptoms were headache and vertigo. In more than half of the cases hepatosplenomegaly and hypertension were found. Besides typical changes in the blood count with elevated erythrocytes, hemoglobin, hematocrit, leukocytes and thrombocytes, increased levels of alkaline leukocyte phosphatase and uric acid were found. As to therapy, after 32P-medication the survival was two years longer than after phlebotomy. In 9 patients osteomyelofibrosis developed, and in 7 cases chronic myeloic leukemia. The mean age of death was 61 years.