PATHOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Secondary polycythemia most often develops as a response to chronic hypoxemia, which triggers increased production of erythropoietin by the kidneys. The most common causes of secondary polycythemia include obstructive sleep apnea, obesity hypoventilation syndrome, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Detailed explanation-2: -Polycythemia vera: This neoplastic disorder is the result of increased erythroid progenitor cells as well as increased sensitivity to erythropoietin secondary to a mutation called JAK mutation.

Detailed explanation-3: -Secondary polycythemia refers to erythrocytosis caused by hypoxia, other reasons for elevated serum erythropoietin (EPO; eg, renal artery stenosis, certain tumors), rare inherited conditions (eg, Chuvash polycythemia, congenital methemoglobinemia), and other causes (table 2).

Detailed explanation-4: -Smoking. Carbon monoxide poisoning. Hypoxic lung disease. Obstructive sleep apnea. Right to left cardiopulmonary shunt (e.g., cyanotic congenital heart disease) High altitude. 10-Aug-2020