An Interesting Case of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease with Primary Polycythemia JAK2 V617F Mutation

This particular case emphasizes the importance of investigation and significance of not excluding a primary cause in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with erythrocytosis. A 63 -year -old male, presenting a complaint of dyspnea, was subsequently diagnosed with COPD clinically and confirmed by spirometry. Erythrocytosis was also incidentally noted. The patient had no signs of polycythemia or hepatosplenomegaly. As a result, the erythrocytosis was first attributed to being caused by hypoxia secondary to COPD. However, the JAK2 V617F gene mutation was detected, which led to the diagnosis of polycythemia vera. Although the erythrocytosis was initially attributed to the underlying pulmonary disease, investigations proved it to be primary in origin.