Key result
High-flow oxygen plus aspirin completely resolves thrombosis symptoms in secondary polycythemia case.
Why the study?
Secondary polycythemia from chronic hypoxia can increase blood viscosity and cause significant morbidity such as stroke, but cerebral vessel involvement is rarely reported.
Case Report (n=1)
No
Chronic hypoxia from conditions such as a congenitally small main pulmonary artery can lead to secondary polycythemia and subsequent hypercoagulable state, resulting in rare complications like cerebral thrombosis.
May support oxygen-aspirin in rare hypoxic polycythemia thrombosis; leaves open validation in prospective cohorts.
BACKGROUND: Secondary polycythemia is considered the usual complication of chronic hypoxia. It can theoretically increase the oxygen-carrying capacity, but this adaptive trait has a deleterious effect because the blood viscosity increases, which can induce significant morbidity and mortality, such as stroke and myocardial infarction. CASE PRESENTATION: A 55-year-old man with a history of a congenitally small main pulmonary artery presented to the emergency department with sustained unsteady walking, dizziness and vertigo. Evaluation revealed elevated hemoglobin and superior posterior circulation cerebral artery thrombosis. The patient was treated with high flux inhalation of oxygen and anti-platelet aggregation. CONCLUSIONS: The involvement of cerebral vessels has rarely been reported in chronic hypoxia cases. The present case is the first case of superior posterior circulation cerebral artery thrombosis due to chronic hypoxia in a patient with a congenitally small main pulmonary artery. This case demonstrates the importance of recognizing some chronic diseases that can lead to hypoxia and secondary polycythemia thereby leading to hypercoagulable state and subsequent thrombosis.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Zhou et al. (2023) conducted a case report in Secondary polycythemia and cerebral thrombosis (n=1). High flow oxygen and aspirin was evaluated on Symptom resolution and hematology improvement. Treatment with high flow oxygen and aspirin completely resolved symptoms and decreased hemoglobin levels in a patient with cerebral thrombosis caused by secondary polycythemia due to chronic hypoxia.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: