Neurologic Complications of Polycythemia

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
This is a report of the neurologic signs and symptoms observed in 511 patients with polycythemia. Initial symptoms included headaches in 41%, dizziness or vertigo in 30%, paresthesias of the extremities in 13%, visual complaints in 11% and tinnitus in 3%. Headache was the chief complaint of 37 patients. Probable cerebrovascular accidents occurred in 48 patients, in 17 of these the cerebral episode preceded knowledge of polycythemia. One or more "transient ischemic attacks" were described by eleven patients. Papilledema was noted in three patients. The post mortem findings included encephalomalacia, subdural and intracerebral hematomas, and cryptococcosis of the nervous system. The nature and pathogenesis of cerebrovascular disease, the etiology of papilledema and other neurologic complications of polycythemia are discussed.

This publication has 30 references indexed in Scilit: