Polycythemia vera disease profile in an African population—experience from a tertiary facility in Ghana
Objectives: The study describes the clinical and laboratory profile of the patients with polycythemia vera at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi, Ghana. Methods and design: This was a retrospective hospital-based cohort study conducted from September 2020 to August 2022. Hematology clinic entr...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SAGE Publishing
2023-07-01
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| Series: | SAGE Open Medicine |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1177/20503121231187747 |
| _version_ | 1827892426312777728 |
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| author | Solomon Gyabaah Eunice Agyemang Ahmed Adwoa Agyemang Adu-Gyamfi Frederick Nkrumah Gyabaah Afia Serwaa Bonsu Ameyaw Prince Addo Ohene Kwaku Opare Sem |
| author_facet | Solomon Gyabaah Eunice Agyemang Ahmed Adwoa Agyemang Adu-Gyamfi Frederick Nkrumah Gyabaah Afia Serwaa Bonsu Ameyaw Prince Addo Ohene Kwaku Opare Sem |
| author_sort | Solomon Gyabaah |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objectives: The study describes the clinical and laboratory profile of the patients with polycythemia vera at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi, Ghana. Methods and design: This was a retrospective hospital-based cohort study conducted from September 2020 to August 2022. Hematology clinic entry book was used to identify the patient’s unique hospital code. Using these unique codes, retrospective data were collected using an Excel spreadsheet from the Hospital Lightwave health information management system (LHIMS) database. Results: A total of 20 participants were recruited over the period of 2 years. The overall mean age was 51.53 ± 16.39 years. The hematological profile of the male participants revealed a mean hemoglobin of 18.25 ± 1.373 g/dl, mean hematocrit of 52 ± 3.47%, and a mean platelet of 345.5 ± 180.82. Comparatively, the mean hemoglobin, hematocrit, and platelet for the female participants were higher with figures of 19.26 ± 1.43 g/dl, 53 ± 3.61%, and 816 ± 935.32, respectively. Headache, tiredness, numbness, splenomegaly, and abnormal labs were the most common reasons why participants sought medical attention. Majority (60%) of the study participants had Janus Kinase 2 mutation. New-onset hypertension was identified in 45% of the study participants during follow-up. Thromboembolism was seen in 10% of the study population. Conclusion: Polycythemia vera is an uncommon disease in Ghana mostly found in older males above 50 years. It is important to recognize it early to initiate therapy aimed at preventing common complications such as hypertension and thromboembolism. Polycythemia vera should be considered a differential diagnosis for patients with secondary hypertension. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T21:39:37Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-92d46950648c4662b36503ff05380a9c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2050-3121 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T21:39:37Z |
| publishDate | 2023-07-01 |
| publisher | SAGE Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | SAGE Open Medicine |
| spelling | doaj.art-92d46950648c4662b36503ff05380a9c2023-07-27T05:04:06ZengSAGE PublishingSAGE Open Medicine2050-31212023-07-011110.1177/20503121231187747Polycythemia vera disease profile in an African population—experience from a tertiary facility in GhanaSolomon Gyabaah0Eunice Agyemang Ahmed1Adwoa Agyemang Adu-Gyamfi2Frederick Nkrumah Gyabaah3Afia Serwaa Bonsu4Ameyaw Prince Addo5Ohene Kwaku Opare Sem6Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, GhanaKomfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, GhanaKomfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, GhanaTexas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, El Paso, TX, USAKomfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, GhanaBridgeport Hospital/Yale New Haven Health, Bridgeport, CT, USASchool of Medicine and Dentistry, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, GhanaObjectives: The study describes the clinical and laboratory profile of the patients with polycythemia vera at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi, Ghana. Methods and design: This was a retrospective hospital-based cohort study conducted from September 2020 to August 2022. Hematology clinic entry book was used to identify the patient’s unique hospital code. Using these unique codes, retrospective data were collected using an Excel spreadsheet from the Hospital Lightwave health information management system (LHIMS) database. Results: A total of 20 participants were recruited over the period of 2 years. The overall mean age was 51.53 ± 16.39 years. The hematological profile of the male participants revealed a mean hemoglobin of 18.25 ± 1.373 g/dl, mean hematocrit of 52 ± 3.47%, and a mean platelet of 345.5 ± 180.82. Comparatively, the mean hemoglobin, hematocrit, and platelet for the female participants were higher with figures of 19.26 ± 1.43 g/dl, 53 ± 3.61%, and 816 ± 935.32, respectively. Headache, tiredness, numbness, splenomegaly, and abnormal labs were the most common reasons why participants sought medical attention. Majority (60%) of the study participants had Janus Kinase 2 mutation. New-onset hypertension was identified in 45% of the study participants during follow-up. Thromboembolism was seen in 10% of the study population. Conclusion: Polycythemia vera is an uncommon disease in Ghana mostly found in older males above 50 years. It is important to recognize it early to initiate therapy aimed at preventing common complications such as hypertension and thromboembolism. Polycythemia vera should be considered a differential diagnosis for patients with secondary hypertension.https://doi.org/10.1177/20503121231187747 |
| spellingShingle | Solomon Gyabaah Eunice Agyemang Ahmed Adwoa Agyemang Adu-Gyamfi Frederick Nkrumah Gyabaah Afia Serwaa Bonsu Ameyaw Prince Addo Ohene Kwaku Opare Sem Polycythemia vera disease profile in an African population—experience from a tertiary facility in Ghana SAGE Open Medicine |
| title | Polycythemia vera disease profile in an African population—experience from a tertiary facility in Ghana |
| title_full | Polycythemia vera disease profile in an African population—experience from a tertiary facility in Ghana |
| title_fullStr | Polycythemia vera disease profile in an African population—experience from a tertiary facility in Ghana |
| title_full_unstemmed | Polycythemia vera disease profile in an African population—experience from a tertiary facility in Ghana |
| title_short | Polycythemia vera disease profile in an African population—experience from a tertiary facility in Ghana |
| title_sort | polycythemia vera disease profile in an african population experience from a tertiary facility in ghana |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1177/20503121231187747 |
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