Relative and secondary erythrocytosis commonly encountered in the clinical practice
| Mechanism . | Found in . |
|---|---|
| Reduction of plasma volume (relative erythrocytosis) | Acute (protracted vomiting or diarrhea, severe burns, protracted fever, diabetic ketoacidosis) and chronic (prolonged and inappropriate use of diuretics, Gaisböck syndrome) conditions |
| Appropriately increased sEPO levels | Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cyanotic heart disease, smokers, people living at high altitudes, sleep apnea, obesity, eventually associated with sleep apnea, and drugs (androgens and corticosteroids); doping with recombinant preparation of human EPO |
| Inappropriately increased sEPO levels | Renal cell carcinoma, non-neoplastic renal lesions (cysts, hydronephrosis, and severe stenosis of the renal artery), hepatocellular carcinoma, uterine fibroma, meningioma, cerebellar hemangioblastoma, other tumors (Wilms’ tumor, ovarian, carcinoid, and pituitary adenoma), and following renal transplantation |
| Mechanism . | Found in . |
|---|---|
| Reduction of plasma volume (relative erythrocytosis) | Acute (protracted vomiting or diarrhea, severe burns, protracted fever, diabetic ketoacidosis) and chronic (prolonged and inappropriate use of diuretics, Gaisböck syndrome) conditions |
| Appropriately increased sEPO levels | Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cyanotic heart disease, smokers, people living at high altitudes, sleep apnea, obesity, eventually associated with sleep apnea, and drugs (androgens and corticosteroids); doping with recombinant preparation of human EPO |
| Inappropriately increased sEPO levels | Renal cell carcinoma, non-neoplastic renal lesions (cysts, hydronephrosis, and severe stenosis of the renal artery), hepatocellular carcinoma, uterine fibroma, meningioma, cerebellar hemangioblastoma, other tumors (Wilms’ tumor, ovarian, carcinoid, and pituitary adenoma), and following renal transplantation |
Gaisböck syndrome is an ill-defined benign syndrome seen in obese, hypertensive, and middle-age male smokers presenting with modest increase of Hct not corresponding to increased red cell mass (RCM).