A 45-year-old patient visits his physician for a routine examination to address his hypertension. The patient has prominent splenomegaly and rosy cheeks. He is also a smoker. Lab values are: EPO: elevated
WBC count: 18.4 × 10⁹/L4
RBC: 6.84 × 10¹²/L
PLT: 705 × 10⁹/L
Based on these findings, what would you expect to find in the bone marrow?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The patient's elevated EPO level and elevated RBC count suggest erythroid hyperplasia in the bone marrow, likely due to chronic hypoxia from smoking-induced lung disease. The high WBC count could be due to a secondary infection or inflammation, but it does not necessarily indicate myeloid hyperplasia. Panmyelosis, or a hyperplastic response involving all bone marrow elements, is not consistent with the patient's lab and clinical findings.

A 45-Year-Old Patient Visits His Physician for a Routine Examination