'Secondary polycythemia/erythrocytosis' / asthma / COPD

ironjustice@aol.com · medicine forum Guru Joined: 28 Apr 2005 Posts: 1522

Since theophylline is the FIRST LINE treatment for those with asthma ..
and since theophylline is used to DECREASE the NUMBER of red blood
cells .. in OTHER diseases .. the study below might prove INTERESTING
... to .. some.
It found asthma TO BE the 'underlying cause' .. and just .. coincidence
of course .. the increased red blood cell mass is FOUND in ALMOST ALL
... of .. the .. patients ..

Coincidence of course.
'Secondary' .. TO .. of .. course.

For sure ..

That would be pretty much the same as 'secondary' polycythemia /
increased blood cell mass which is found IN pulmonary hypertension ..
which has NOW been shown to be INDUCED .. by .. polycythemia IN the ..
mouse.

So .. is the polycythemia IN these patients ALSO .. not .. 'secondary'
... BUT .. post/pre/before .. asthma .. ?

<<snip>>
Secondary polycythemia was noted in 32 of 40 patients (80%)
<<snip>>

East Afr Med J. 2004 Apr;81(4):202-6. Related Articles, Links

Causes and clinical characteristics of chronic cor-pulmonale in
Ethiopia.

Aderaye G.

Chest Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, Addis Ababa University,
P.O. Box 2380, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the clinical characteristics and underlying
causes of chronic cor-pulmonale in Ethiopian patients. DESIGN: A
hospital based cross-sectional study. SETTING: Tikur Anbessa Hospital,
a large referral hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. SUBJECTS: Fourty
two consecutive patients referred to the chest clinic of Tikur Anbessa
Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. RESULTS: Bronchial asthma (36%),
chronic fibrocavitary tuberculosis (31%) and chronic
bronchitis/emphysema (33%) were the most frequent underlying causes and
occurred either singly or in combination in 36(86%) of patients.
Interstitial lung disease occurred in five (11.9%) patients.
Right-sided heart failure and cyanosis were the most common clinical
presentations. Secondary polycythemia was noted in 32 of 40 patients
(80%). The role of pulmonary vascular diseases including pulmonary
schistosomiasis as a cause of pulmonary heart disease could not be
ascertained but appeared to be insignificant. CONCLUSION: Chronic
persistent asthma is a frequent underlying cause of chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease and chronic cor-pulmonale compared to smoking related
chronic bronchitis/emphysema in Ethiopia. The preventive strategy of
chronic cor-pulmonale includes optimal treatment of bronchial asthma,
early diagnosis and effective treatment of tuberculosis and health
education to avoid cigarette smoking.

PMID: 15884287 [PubMed - in process]

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Manky Badger · medicine forum Guru Wannabe Joined: 01 May 2005 Posts: 158

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