FAMILIAL POLYCYTHEMIA IN TWO BROTHERS

Familial polycythemia (fp), namely primary familial congenital polycythemia is a rare automosal dominant disorder. fp is characterized by isolated erythrocytosis without evolution into leukemia or other myeloproliferative disorders, absence of splenomegaly, normal white blood cell and platelet counts, low plasma erythropoietin levels and hypersensitivity of erythroid progenitors to exogenous erythropoietin in vitro. we report here two brothers referred to our hematology department one of them was 22 years old the and other was 17. they had erytrocytosis and no other pathological findings. after excluding other diseases presenting with polycythemia we diagnosed familial polycythemia. we continue to treat with flebotomy when they are symptomatic.