Polycythemia Vera (PV) and Thalassaemia minor are two distinct clinical entities Yet there are uncanny similarities between them as far as RBC indices are concerned. Let me high light the similarities and distinguishing. Features of these two common hematological disorders. PV is often masked by Iron deficiencies. Causes include: 1. Iron tissue store depletion because of rapid and unchecked erythropoiesis in PV. Iron stores become the limiting factor in erythropoiesis along with other hematinic factors 2.
Hookworm infestation which is common in the tropics 3. Chronic GIT bleeding. Such patients manifest as microcytic erythrocytosis. On a regular CBC performed on a Cell counter for such patients (assuming they have not yet been diagnosed with PV), the typical indices would be a. Normal to Sub Normal Hemoglobin levels. (The hemoglobin fall is proportional to the degree of iron depletion…
