Ischemic Lesions of the Brain in the Setting of Myeloproliferative Disorders.

Ischemic brain lesions are often observed in myeloproliferative disorders (MPDs), which are rare hematological pathologies and are commonly associated with an increase in the number of blood cells. A study was made to identify potential clinical and laboratory markers of vascular ischemic changes in brain matter in MPD patients. The study included 80 patients with an established diagnosis of MPD and no indication of past ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke in the history. A set of main factors associated with asymptomatic ischemic lesions of the brain in the MPD patients was found to include the age; cerebral atherosclerosis; and elevated levels of red blood cells, hemoglobin, hematocrit, and fibrinogen. Their predictive potential with respect to ischemic stroke should be evaluated in further prospective studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]