Polycythemia And Gout.
Posted , 2 users are following.
It seems to be accepted that PV can cause or precipitate Gout if you had Gout previous to the diagnosis of PV. As there is no documented evidence as to what triggers the JAK2 gene mutation leading to PV, I wonder if there is some possibility that in my own case in relation to Gout which I am certain has been slowly accumulating Uric Acid deposits untreated in my joints,tendons,ligaments,muscles and organs for decades could be a factor leading to JAK2 gene mutation and PV.
Any thoughts welcome.
0 likes, 5 replies
peter98873 colin39379
Posted
Gout is mostly an inherited complaint and it may well be that you have inherited the condition from your family background. It doesn't always manifest itself until at least 30 years of age but of course things do not always go to plan. Most patients for PV do not acquire gout but some will suffer it after diagnosis and treatment brings it to the surface. i suffered inherited gout as did one or two other members of my family who do not suffer PV. Gout pain as you probably know can be intensive and was once described to me by a consultant urologist as the most intense pain known to medical science. I can believe that. The pain is caused by the Uric acid crystallising in the joints etc.
I do not know of any instance whereby gout has been responsible for creating PV or the JAK2 mutation. PV is caused by the over-production of red blood cells by the bone marrow. Gout is an effect of Uric acid in the joints etc. Any correlation between the two has not so far been confirmed. With PV the bone marrow can be replaced by fibrous tissue whereby enough red cells cannot be made and I understand that this effect can lead to the mutation of the JAK2 gene. PV and its offshoots may be defined as cancerous, This is not the case with gout. It maybe that your query could be raised with your Haematologist who can produce a positive answer. It would be interesting to find out. It is a very technical problem and a professional result would be useful to see. Best wishes.
colin39379 peter98873
Posted
My reason for associating recent diagnosis of PV with Gout was that,if,as we know a long term build up of Uric acid in the joints,ligaments,tendons,muscles and organs can be dangerous and overwhelming for the immune system could a signal then be sent to the bone marrow to produce more troops so to speak leading to a mutation in the JAK2 gene. Had previously asked Haematologist this question but not entirely forthcoming.Thought I would put the feelers out elsewhere.
peter98873 colin39379
Posted
Thanks for your message. It may well be that your answer lies in the kidneys as these can be affected by poor blood supply. I have in the past undergone some severe renal surgery but never did the effect of PV arise. Gout is more associated with rheumatics than PV which is genetic and blood related. The JAK gene can be formulated with a defect which is the cause of the complaint. If the defect is apparent from birth the genetic stem-cell is formed in two parts, known as JAK 1 and JAK 2. The former is the normal part of the cell and the latter the abnormal, and known as the allele burden. It is the JAK 2 part that creates the PV etc. which is measured in percentages. The lesser the percentage the lesser the PV is diagnosed. Any increase in this percentage will lead to PRV, ET, MF and perhaps latterly leukaemia, so the treatments applied will deal with each as needed. The more severe the diagnosis the greater the blood oxygen is affected. This will reach other organs of the body, including the kidneys, which can possibly produce the gout effect. I cannot say that I was affected by PV during my renal treatment although it seems that I was born with the defective PV gene, and that it was always present without appearing. I have suffered from gout a very long time now and been effectively treated by allopurinol which was introduced soon after my diagnosis of the disorder. I am not by any means a qualified medic or so connected. I gained my knowledge of the diseases I have suffered by taking an interest in what was causing them as there were no suitable sources of information readily available, particularly with PV which was only identified as a genetic defect about 15 years ago although it was known about well before this time. Some creditable advances have now been made with good treatments now in place.
The body organs need a regular and good supply of blood and thereby oxygen. If this is hindered there will always be some effects to contend with. Hope this will give you further food for thought !
Best wishes.
Peter.
colin39379 peter98873
Posted
Interesting that you should mention the Kidneys and poor blood supply.From what I have read it seems that the Kidneys are responsible for producing Erythropoietin which promotes the formation of Red Blood Cells in the bone marrow.If the Kidneys are not working the way they should be then I wonder if it is possible that the body reacts in such a way as to demand extra blood cell production then leading to PV.I do also wonder if Gout sufferers are more susceptible in terms of Uric Acid deposits building up in the Kidneys over a period of time and reducing the efficiency of the Kidneys to produce Erythropoietin.
I am not a qualified medic or so connected either Peter.I am interested in finding out everything I can about these conditions I have been diagnosed with.i.e. Gout and PV. Thankfully through reading various forums I have a better understanding of Gout but PV remains a mystery in terms of how it occurred and what is the trigger.
Thanks for the further food for thought.
Best Regards
Colin.
peter98873 colin39379
Posted
Hi Colin,
I don't think there is any real trigger that energises PV. It seems that the the JAK2 gene is what controls PV and how it generates itself to mutate and progress. The problem lies within the poor formation at its concept of the cell and which then affects the production of the red cells from the bone marrow. This in turn produces faults within the blood cells themselves which are discovered in the blood tests for PV. It might in turn affect other organs of the body but this is something that may in the future become known. Something for the micro-biologists and scientists I feel.
Peter.