Thrombocythaemic erythromelalgia in chronic myeloproliferative and myelodysplastic disorders

Erythromelalgia, which is specific for primary thrombocythaemia or polycythaemia with thrombocythaemia, is reported in a case of primary myelofibrosis at platelet counts of between 350 and 450 X 10(9)/l. In addition, the unexpected occurrence of thrombocythaemic erythromelalgia associated with Ph1 chromosome positive micromegakaryocytic myelofibrosis and with myelodysplastic syndrome type II is described. Therefore it is concluded that erythromelalgia may occur in all variants of myeloproliferative disease as well as myelodysplastic syndrome as long as they present with thrombocythaemia.