“Hemorrhage is a well-known complication of essential thrombocythemia (ET) and polycythemia vera (PV), but evidence-based data on its management and prevention are lacking to help inform clinicians”

“Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) are a group of hematological malignancies individualized in the 2016 World Health Organization (WHO) classification.1 They are subdivided into two groups: chronic myeloid leukemia and Philadelphia-negative MPNs, which are further divided into essential thrombocythemia (ET), polycythemia vera (PV), primitive myelofibrosis (PMF), and prefibrotic myelofibrosis.Philadelphia-negative MPNs are characterized by the chronic proliferation of myeloid cells in bone marrow and three main clonal mutations.”

“The most recent reviews on bleeding of MPN patients present a prevalence at diagnosis and an incidence during follow-up of 7.3 and 9% in ET and 6.9 and 8% in PV, respectively.Thrombotic complications remain more frequent in this population (up to 39% of patients) compared with the general population, but hemorrhagic risk should not be underestimated due to the high rate of morbidity/mortality. Particularly, the case fatality rate from MBs of 20.6% (35/170 events) in ET and PV patients must be underscored.”

Nicol C, et al Hemorrhage in Essential Thrombocythemia or Polycythemia Vera: Epidemiology, Location, Risk Factors, and Lessons Learned from the Literature. Thromb Haemost. 2021 May;121(5):553-564. Request Interlibrary Loan for Emory University Users