Jugular vein thrombosis: a rare presentation of atypical chronic myeloproliferative disorder in a young woman

Abstract

Venous thromboembolism is common in subjects with chronic myeloproliferative disorders and is a recognized presenting feature of occult myeloproliferation. We report the case of a young woman who presented with acute thrombosis in the right jugular vein and pulmonary embolism. Splenomegaly and myeloid proliferation with bone marrow fibrosis, in the absence of the criteria for typical myeloproliferative disorders, allowed a diagnosis of an atypical form of chronic myeloproliferative disorder. This form carries a high risk of thrombosis and venous thromboembolism can be the presenting feature, though the course is often indolent. Acute thrombosis in the right jugular vein has not been so far described in these subjects. The outcome of young people with myelofibrosis is unpredictable, but a normal level of hemoglobin and the absence of blast cells and constitutional symptoms at presentation identifies subjects with a low probability of rapid disease progression.