Use of ferrokinetics in the follow-up of patients with polycythaemia vera.

Periodical follow-up evaluations at intervals from 3 to 6 months of haematocrit, blood volume and ferrokinetic, during a 2.5 year period were performed in 18 polycythaemia vera (PV) patients to find the most characteristic parameters for the determination of the erythropoietic system functional activity. Our results suggest that in PV it is advisable to carry out further determination of red cell volume to determine exactly the degree of erythrocytosis. We found that plasma iron turnover (PIT) followed by 59Fe T1/2 are the first parameters to return to normal and the first to alter after a prolonged period of a normal ferrokinetic status. We suggest these may be used as the most reliable indicators for the haematological control of PV.