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Cardiovascular implications of erythrocytosis are clear when a patient is diagnosed with polycythemia vera, but whether secondary or unexplained erythrocytosis is associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes is unknown. Investigators used population-based data from a Netherlands cohort to evaluate outcomes associated with erythrocytosis and the mutational spectrum among community-dwelling individuals. Erythrocytosis was defined in two ways: strict criteria (hemoglobin >18.5g/dL or hematocrit ≥52% in men, Hgb >16.5 g/dL or Hct ≥48% in women) and wide criteria (Hgb >16.5g/dL or Hct >49% in men, Hgb >16 g/dL or Hct >48% in women).
Among the findings:
Of the roughly 150,000 individuals, 408 (0.3%) met strict criteria and 4995 (3.4%) met wide c…