Gaisbock's Syndrome: A Case Study

Area of Science:

• Internal Medicine
• Hematology

Background:

• Polycythemia, an elevated red blood cell count, can be primary (polycythemia vera) or secondary to other conditions.
• Distinguishing between types of polycythemia is crucial for appropriate patient management and prognosis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a case of new-onset polycythemia in a 73-year-old hypertensive male.
• To investigate the underlying cause of polycythemia, ruling out polycythemia vera and secondary causes.
• To identify the condition as Gaisbock's syndrome and discuss its characteristics.

Main Methods:

• Clinical presentation and routine health check-up findings.
• Diagnostic workup including erythropoietin levels, physical examination for splenomegaly, and JAK2 v617F mutation testing.
• One-year follow-up of hematological parameters.

Main Results:

• The patient presented with new-onset polycythemia.
• Workup excluded polycythemia vera and secondary polycythemia (normal erythropoietin, no splenomegaly, negative JAK2 mutation test).
• Hematological profile normalized within one year of follow-up.

Conclusions:

• The patient was diagnosed with Gaisbock's syndrome, a relative polycythemia.
• Gaisbock's syndrome is characterized by contraction of plasma volume, often seen in smokers or those on diuretics.
• This case illustrates a transient presentation of relative polycythemia that resolves without specific intervention.