Background
The use of hydroxyurea (HU) as first line therapy in polycythemia vera (PV) has been criticized because no solid demonstration that this drug prevents thrombosis or prolongs
Hydroxyurea is an old drug that is often used to control essential thrombocythemia and polycythemia vera in patients with high-risk disease
Current treatments include clot-preventing
Sometimes there are too many white blood cells or platelets made as well
Polycythemia vera (PV) causes your bone marrow to make too many red blood cells
Polycythemia, also called erythrocytosis, refers to increased red blood cell mass, noted on laboratory evaluation as increased hemoglobin and hematocrit levels
Hydroxyurea is an antimetabolite used to treat sickle cell anemia crisis, Ghirardi A, Finazzi G, De Stefano V, Vannucchi AM, Barbui T: Clinical outcomes under hydroxyurea treatment in polycythemia vera: a systematic review and meta-analysis
It is usually well tolerated and cheap and has been proven effective in many studies for the prevention of thrombohemorrhagic complications associated with these
Polycythemia vera should be suspected in patients with elevated hemoglobin or hematocrit levels, splenomegaly, or portal venous thrombosis
A clinical history of thrombosis increases the risk of PV
Although hydroxyurea is the mainstay of treatment in patients with polycythemia vera, approximately 15% of patients develop resistance or intolerance, which is deemed an adverse prognostic factor with higher risk for death (hazard ratio [HR] 5·6, 95% CI 2·7–11·9; p<0·001) and transformation to myelofibrosis or blast
Numbness, tingling, burning, or weakness in your hands, feet, arms or legs
1,2 Each of these MPDs represents a stem-cell–derived clonal myeloproliferation, with PV being
yellowing of the eyes or skin
blurred vision
Hydroxyurea is commonly used in these disorders for its cytoreductive properties; however, the effect of this treatment on proteinuria or kidney function remains unclear in cases of myeloproliferative disorder-associated FSGS
Its most prominent feature is an elevated absolute red blood cell mass