Morbidity and mortality in pseudopolycythaemia.

A follow-up of 35 patients with pseudopolycythaemia showed that symptoms, high packed-cell volumes, and low plasma volumes persisted in most patients. The death-rate in these patients was six times greater than expected. Patients with pseudopolycythaemia are often regarded as having a good prognosis; however, this view should be revised in the light of these findings.