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Die Mieloproliferatiewe Sindroom, Mielofibrose en Eritrositose


F.P. Retief
A. Du P. Heyns

Abstract

In a retrospective survey over 27 months the records of 76700 patients (39300 White, 37400 Black) admitted to the Bloemfontein Teaching Hospitals, were analysed in order to assess the incidence and nature of the myeloproliferative syndromes, myelofibrosis and erythrocytosis. Erythraemia (polycythaemia vera) was much less common among Black (1,7%) than among White (9,0%) patients, when expressed as a percentage of total patients with raised- haemoglobin and haematocrit. Myelofibrosis as part of the classical myeloproliferative syndrome was rare among the Black patients (1 out of 5 with histologically proven bone marrow fibrosis), and more common among Whites (3 out of 4 with marrow fibrosis). Chronic myeloid leukaemia showed no difference in racial incidence. Erythrocytosis (secondary polycythaemia) was common in both races (57 Blacks, 92 Whites), and causative analysis showed no significant sexual or racial differences, although the study was hampered by inadequate clinical data. Cyanotic heart and lung disease was responsible for 61,7% of cases. An association with tumours (9,3%) and hypertension and/or obliterative vascular disease (21,4%) was evident.


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eISSN: 2078-5135
print ISSN: 0256-9574