Inferior vena cava thrombosis and its relationship with the JAK2V617F mutation and chronic myeloproliferative disease

Splanchnic vein thrombosis (SVT) is a typical manifestation of polycythaemia vera (PV) or essential thrombocythaemia (ET). The recently discovered JAK2V617F somatic mutation is closely associated with chronic myeloproliferative disease (CMD). We investigated whether thrombosis involving the inferior vena cava (IVC) is also related to the JAK2V617F mutation or CMD.

Blood samples were obtained from 40 IVC thrombosis patients. Fifty-three patients with isolated lower extremity deep vein thrombosis (LE-DVT) and 20 SVT patients served as controls. The presence of the JAK2V617F mutation was assessed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

The JAK2V617F allele was not detected in any of the IVC thrombosis patients but was detected in one patient (2%) with isolated LE-DVT. However, the mutation-carrying patient did not exhibit symptoms of CMD. Even after an observation period of 30months, the patient's complete blood cell count did not exhibit any pathology. In contrast, the JAK2V617F allele was detected in four patients with SVT (20%) and CMD.

According to our data, there is no evidence that IVC thrombosis is associated with the JAK2V617F mutation or the presence of chronic myeloproliferative disease.