News: Essential Thrombocytosis

[Guest guest]

Essential Thrombocytosis

Updated: 3/11/2005 8:48:00 AM

An image of a normal drop of blood shows red blood cells, white blood

cells and platelets. If the doctor sees an unusually large number of

platelets, there may be a problem.

Dr. Ann Knovich, a hematologist with Wake Forest University

Baptist Medical Center says, " Those include things like iron

deficiency, anemia or anything that would stimulate or rev up the bone

marrow, so inflammatory conditions, things like rheumatoid arthritis or

lupus, malignancy can stimulate the bone marrow. "

When those are eliminated through a blood test or bone marrow sample,

the diagnosis is essential thrombocytosis. Doctors don't know what

causes it.

" Most people are completely asymptomatic, however about 1/3 of patients

have some symptoms related to the fact that they're having what we call

vaso-motor symptoms, and those would include things like headache,

lightheadedness, numbness and tingling in their hands or feet or

feeling of burning pain with warmth particularly in their hands. That's

a specific symptom for ET. "

Some people will not need to be treated at all, depending on their age,

and tendency to clot.

http://www.wfmynews2.com/2yh/2yh_article.aspx?storyid=37552

a