Question

a patient presents with a hematocrit of 0.570 l/l, elevated red cell mass, normal arterial oxygen saturation, elevated lap score, and thrombocytosis. what is the most probable cause of these laboratory findings?

Answer 1

The presence of elevated hematocrit, red cell mass, thrombocytosis, and an elevated LAP score suggests that the patient is most likely suffering from polycythemia vera, a bone marrow disease that leads to excessive blood cell production.

Step-by-step explanation:

The most probable cause of the laboratory findings of a hematocrit of 0.570 l/l, elevated red cell mass, normal arterial oxygen saturation, elevated leukocyte alkaline phosphatase (LAP) score, and thrombocytosis is a disease called polycythemia vera.

This condition is characterized by the excessive production of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets due to abnormality in the bone marrow.

Polycythemia vera leads to increased blood viscosity, which can raise blood pressure and create difficulty for the heart in pumping blood throughout the body. It is more commonly observed in males and in patients over the age of 60 years.

Furthermore, thrombocytosis, which is an excessive number of platelets, is present in this case indicating an increased risk for clot formation or thrombosis.

These clinical findings collectively point towards polycythemia vera as the most likely diagnosis.