Diagnostic overview

PV is typically diagnosed incidentally, where a routine blood panel shows elevated RBC HCT levels6,16,17

A smaller proportion (~30%) of people may be diagnosed after symptom escalations or a TE.17,18 A genetic test for the JAK2 gene is used to confirm the diagnosis of PV.11 In certain situations, a bone marrow biopsy may also be used for confirmation.19

categorizing risk in pv

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Risk categorization is primarily based on a person's chances of experiencing a TE and has traditionally been divided into low- and high-risk categories:

  • Low risk is for patients 60 years of age or younger with no history of thrombosis11
  • High risk is for patients older than 60 years of age or with a history of thrombosis11

After diagnosis, about 70% of people with PV fall into the high-risk category and should be monitored and treated accordingly.1

""

Thromboses and TEs are observed in approximately 39%-41% of patients with PV following diagnosis,

with arterial and venous thromboses being the main causes of morbidity and mortality.14

""

People with PV may be at elevated risk for disease progression, secondary cancers, and
reduced survival.

The most prevalent secondary cancer is non-melanoma skin cancer.20-22

Symptoms of PV

88% of people with PV are symptomatic

The debilitating link to hyperviscosity

88% of people with PV are experiencing symptoms at the time of their diagnosis, but they aren’t always talked about or even addressed, greatly impacting their quality of life.23-25

In a survey of people living with PV (N=380), a large percentage did not know that difficulty sleeping (64%, n=134/209), abdominal discomfort (54%, n=74/137), dizziness (37%, n=63/171), bruising (32%, n=51/158), or numbness in hands and feet (29%, n=48/164) were associated with their disease.24,26*

*In this study, patients who reported each symptom, but did not know it was a result of PV, were calculated as a percentage of the total number of patients with PV that reported each symptom.24

Patients may display a spectrum of symptoms†

Symptoms of iron deficiency

  • Fatigue27
  • Problems with concentration (brain fog)27
  • Physical inactivity27
  • Weakness and dizziness7,27

Symptoms due to splenomegaly, caused by processing excess red blood cells23,28,29

  • Early satiety
  • Abdominal pain or discomfort
  • Cough

Constitutional symptoms28

  • Night sweats
  • Pruritus
  • Bone pain
  • Fever
  • Unintentional weight loss (more than 10 pounds, within the last 6 months)

†A subset of people are asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic.10

Providing patients with a symptom tracker can help them better recognize their symptoms and provide more accurate feedback at follow-up appointments6,24

HCT=hematocrit; JAK2=Janus kinase 2; PV=polycythemia vera; RBC=red blood cell; TE=thromboembolic event.

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References

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