Ischaemic colitis and lung infiltrates caused by extramedullary haematopoiesis in a patient with an acute erythroid leukaemia following polycythaemia vera

A patient with 'spent' polycythaemia vera showed extensive extramedullary haematopoiesis (EMH) in non-haematopoietic tissue clinically resulting in an ischaemic colitis and respiratory symptoms due to lung infiltrates. On laboratory investigation, the EMH also included immature erythroblasts due to acute erythroid leukaemia. It is hypothesised that the abnormal homing of erythroid progenitors might be related to the abnormal expression of antigens, such as CD36. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.